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Red Space #1
Paradise-1
Listening Length 21 hours and 12 minutes
Paradise-1. Earth’s first deep space colony. For thousands of people, it was an opportunity for a new life. Until it went dark.
No communication has been received from the colony for months. And it falls to Firewatch inspector Alexandra Petrova and the crew of the Artemis to investigate.
What they find is more horrifying than anything they could have imagined.
Paradise-1. Earth’s first deep space colony. For thousands of people, it was an opportunity for a new life. Until it went dark.
No communication has been received from the colony for months. And it falls to Firewatch inspector Alexandra Petrova and the crew of the Artemis to investigate.
What they find is more horrifying than anything they could have imagined.
22 pages, Audible Audio
First published April 4, 2023
850 people are currently reading
11993 people want to read
About the author
David Wellington
73 books1,157 followersDavid Wellington is a contemporary American horror author, best known for his Zombie trilogy as well as his Vampire series and Werewolf series. His books have been translated into eleven languages and are a global phenomenon.
His career began in 2004 when he started serializing his horror fiction online, posting short chapters of a novel three times a week on a friend’s blog. Response to the project was so great that in 2004 Thunder’s Mouth Press approached David Wellington about publishing Monster Island as a print book. His novels have been featured in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the New York Times.
He also made his debut as a comic book writer in 2009 with Marvel Zombies Return:Iron Man.
Wellington attended Syracuse University and received an MFA in creative writing from Penn State. He also holds a masters degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute.
He now lives in New York City with his dog Mary Shelley and wife Elisabeth who, in her wedding vows, promised to “kick serious zombie ass” for him.
His career began in 2004 when he started serializing his horror fiction online, posting short chapters of a novel three times a week on a friend’s blog. Response to the project was so great that in 2004 Thunder’s Mouth Press approached David Wellington about publishing Monster Island as a print book. His novels have been featured in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the New York Times.
He also made his debut as a comic book writer in 2009 with Marvel Zombies Return:Iron Man.
Wellington attended Syracuse University and received an MFA in creative writing from Penn State. He also holds a masters degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute.
He now lives in New York City with his dog Mary Shelley and wife Elisabeth who, in her wedding vows, promised to “kick serious zombie ass” for him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 833 reviews
December 16, 2023
My thanks to Orbit books, David Wellington and Netgalley.
No long or extensive review.
Truth is that this is a freaking David Wellington book!
If you've yet to read Wellington, then as far as I'm concerned you're missing out!
I have enjoyed most of Wellingtons books.
He's one of a few authors that I still buy to keep on my physical bookshelves. Even though my arthritis makes it impossible for me to read!
As for a review? Puleeze! Homey don't play dat!
It's Wellington. It's in Space. Shit happens!
I was never bored, and was happy to see that this is at least a duology or trilogy.
Encore!
No long or extensive review.
Truth is that this is a freaking David Wellington book!
If you've yet to read Wellington, then as far as I'm concerned you're missing out!
I have enjoyed most of Wellingtons books.
He's one of a few authors that I still buy to keep on my physical bookshelves. Even though my arthritis makes it impossible for me to read!
As for a review? Puleeze! Homey don't play dat!
It's Wellington. It's in Space. Shit happens!
I was never bored, and was happy to see that this is at least a duology or trilogy.
Encore!
May 12, 2023
2.5 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/7NRtYJ9t7jc
Space horror is one of my favourite subgenres, but it's also one of the most challenging kinds of stories to get right.
This one had a fantastic start. I was convinced it was heading to be a favourite of the year. However, the story continued at light speed and never stopped. This book is heavily action based and would have benefited from slowing down. I usually enjoy a book with narrative drive, but this one was in overdrive. By rushing the story, I never had time to connect to the characters or their subsequent fates. This book was just too much, too messy, and too long.
However, the real crime of this book is the ending. I don't think I've ever read a novel with that severe of a cliffhanger. There is no conclusion… at all. And it was terribly frustrating to read that many pages to discover that. Even books with advertised sequels, other first books still give the readers a resting point at the end to offer some satisfaction.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Video Review: https://youtu.be/7NRtYJ9t7jc
Space horror is one of my favourite subgenres, but it's also one of the most challenging kinds of stories to get right.
This one had a fantastic start. I was convinced it was heading to be a favourite of the year. However, the story continued at light speed and never stopped. This book is heavily action based and would have benefited from slowing down. I usually enjoy a book with narrative drive, but this one was in overdrive. By rushing the story, I never had time to connect to the characters or their subsequent fates. This book was just too much, too messy, and too long.
However, the real crime of this book is the ending. I don't think I've ever read a novel with that severe of a cliffhanger. There is no conclusion… at all. And it was terribly frustrating to read that many pages to discover that. Even books with advertised sequels, other first books still give the readers a resting point at the end to offer some satisfaction.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
July 16, 2024
An avid fantasy lover, I find science fiction hard to swallow. What works for me? These sort of live, serialized stories. This very much reminds me of the Alien novelizations. Why the missing star, then? The story ended rather abruptly with no conclusion.
PSA: I turned off comments from non-friends because of a different review, but differing opinions exist. Stay pressed.
🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit
PSA: I turned off comments from non-friends because of a different review, but differing opinions exist. Stay pressed.
🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit
May 17, 2023
[Barely 1½.]
If every reader’s big worry in the 2020s is that generative AI will take over such creative pursuits as art and writing, it must be said that Paradise-1, a wannabe space opera/horror mashup by David Wellington (presumably a human), is exactly the kind of soulless, mechanical exercise that reads as if it was spouted out of a machine. I’m thinking specifically of those very old school computers from the ’80s that used obnoxiously loud dot-matrix printers.
Wellington actually wrote this book after being given the basic idea by his editor at Orbit. Several other members of the publishing team chimed in with input as well. So Paradise-1, while not created by a machine, was created more or less by a committee. And does it ever show in the finished result! The book runs an absurd 677 pages, though it reads briskly, thanks to being broken up into chapters of mostly two to four pages each, like a James Patterson product.
But the story is shallower than an inflatable kiddie pool. It simply doesn’t have the substance to support the book’s length, meaning that most of it is padded out by a series of lumbering, repetitive action scenes that feel more enervating than exciting. The result is this paradoxical beast of a book that is both fast-paced and, at the same time, feels like it’s never going to end. It has an episodic structure that strongly suggests Orbit might have its eye on selling this as another hit streaming series after The Witcher. Most insultingly, after nearly 700 pages of tedious bombast, instead of giving us an ending, the book simply stops. Literally, it stops mid-scene with a “To Be Continued” tag. I have suffered bad books before, but here I really think I should qualify for workman’s comp.
The story opens promisingly on Ganymede, where Alexandra Petrova, an agent with a military police outfit called Firewatch, is poised to arrest a man suspected of being the most prolific serial killer on the entire moon. But his real situation is very different, and Petrova learns right away that she has unknowingly interfered in a wide-reaching Firewatch investigation. This is a blow to Petrova’s career, because she’s already unpopular among her fellow agents for being a nepo baby. Her mother, Ekaterina, was the former director of Firewatch, but she was not exactly confident in her daughter’s skills either.
For her sins, Petrova is reassigned to a distant colony planet, Paradise-1, which has mysteriously gone dark. (Continued...)
If every reader’s big worry in the 2020s is that generative AI will take over such creative pursuits as art and writing, it must be said that Paradise-1, a wannabe space opera/horror mashup by David Wellington (presumably a human), is exactly the kind of soulless, mechanical exercise that reads as if it was spouted out of a machine. I’m thinking specifically of those very old school computers from the ’80s that used obnoxiously loud dot-matrix printers.
Wellington actually wrote this book after being given the basic idea by his editor at Orbit. Several other members of the publishing team chimed in with input as well. So Paradise-1, while not created by a machine, was created more or less by a committee. And does it ever show in the finished result! The book runs an absurd 677 pages, though it reads briskly, thanks to being broken up into chapters of mostly two to four pages each, like a James Patterson product.
But the story is shallower than an inflatable kiddie pool. It simply doesn’t have the substance to support the book’s length, meaning that most of it is padded out by a series of lumbering, repetitive action scenes that feel more enervating than exciting. The result is this paradoxical beast of a book that is both fast-paced and, at the same time, feels like it’s never going to end. It has an episodic structure that strongly suggests Orbit might have its eye on selling this as another hit streaming series after The Witcher. Most insultingly, after nearly 700 pages of tedious bombast, instead of giving us an ending, the book simply stops. Literally, it stops mid-scene with a “To Be Continued” tag. I have suffered bad books before, but here I really think I should qualify for workman’s comp.
The story opens promisingly on Ganymede, where Alexandra Petrova, an agent with a military police outfit called Firewatch, is poised to arrest a man suspected of being the most prolific serial killer on the entire moon. But his real situation is very different, and Petrova learns right away that she has unknowingly interfered in a wide-reaching Firewatch investigation. This is a blow to Petrova’s career, because she’s already unpopular among her fellow agents for being a nepo baby. Her mother, Ekaterina, was the former director of Firewatch, but she was not exactly confident in her daughter’s skills either.
For her sins, Petrova is reassigned to a distant colony planet, Paradise-1, which has mysteriously gone dark. (Continued...)
September 3, 2025
Brilliant. Ship under attack ->must be aliens, right?! NO, it's pods full of yams, your spaceship is damaged by yam cargo used as a weapon. Science Fiction outdid itself here.
April 9, 2023
Paradise-1, Earth’s first colony planet in another star system, goes silent. The government assembles a crew to investigate the case. Leading the charge is Alexandra Petrova, the detective who just caught the galaxy’s worst serial killer but botched a years-long investigation in the process. She’s assisted by Zhang Lei, a survivor of a massacre on Titan who isn’t exactly in the best of shape, and Sam Parker, a pilot who’s easy on the eyes but light on impressive accomplishments. And then we have Rapscallion, a robot who prints and changes bodies like they’re going out of style. A curious bunch here, for sure, but are they fit to save the planet?
Especially since they’ll have to deal with infected AIs, contagious delusions, and murderous zombies. Not to mention more serious obstacles. Paradise-1 is long (700 pages), but for a reason. There’s hardly any filler, so don’t let the length scare you off. Especially if you’re looking for a sci-fi horror hybrid filled with terrifically terrifying ideas.
The action and plot twists kept me riveted and provided enough tense moments to keep the suspense going. Even in the middle section, which slowed down a bit. Moments of disturbing body horror and psychological terror appealed to me; I prefer the feeling of lingering dread and frightening ideas to bloody explosions of violence. That we got both was a plus.
Well-realized world-building introducing an utterly alien world to the crew and readers impressed me. It’s not fully explored, but I liked what we got. I loved how skilfully and creatively Wellington played with hard light holograms and other futuristic concepts. And finally, we have a crew and AIs. I found all the crew members fascinating and well-developed. Their relationships and dynamics drive the story forward.
Paradise-1 is a clever sci-fi horror novel that provides enough thrills and cool ideas to keep readers entertained until the end.
Especially since they’ll have to deal with infected AIs, contagious delusions, and murderous zombies. Not to mention more serious obstacles. Paradise-1 is long (700 pages), but for a reason. There’s hardly any filler, so don’t let the length scare you off. Especially if you’re looking for a sci-fi horror hybrid filled with terrifically terrifying ideas.
The action and plot twists kept me riveted and provided enough tense moments to keep the suspense going. Even in the middle section, which slowed down a bit. Moments of disturbing body horror and psychological terror appealed to me; I prefer the feeling of lingering dread and frightening ideas to bloody explosions of violence. That we got both was a plus.
Well-realized world-building introducing an utterly alien world to the crew and readers impressed me. It’s not fully explored, but I liked what we got. I loved how skilfully and creatively Wellington played with hard light holograms and other futuristic concepts. And finally, we have a crew and AIs. I found all the crew members fascinating and well-developed. Their relationships and dynamics drive the story forward.
Paradise-1 is a clever sci-fi horror novel that provides enough thrills and cool ideas to keep readers entertained until the end.
April 27, 2023
It's not like the writing is horrendous, but I was just straight up not having a good time so I dnfed after 300 pages (which isn't even 50 percent of this too long fucking book). I wanted sci fi horror and got the absolute lamest version of both things. The start was fairly promising despite the sparse worldbuilding, but things went down hill when they were supposed to be kicking off.
When the horror element was revealed is when I became really disappointed with this book. It's incredibly unoriginal and one of my least favorite horror conventions (zombie-esque virus) just in a space setting. It's made even dumber by the AIs being infected and somehow mixing with the protagonist's mommy issues which makes 0 sense. There's 0 tension and 0 feeling of existential dread that every horror book should deliver. Instead it's just kind of fast pacing with 0 breathing room. The sci fi elements are also a letdown. There really aren't any interesting ideas explored nor really any cool tech other than generic space stuff and AIs on ships. But at least there's good characters right? Right?
Wrong. These characters have 0 development and aren't interesting in the least. It makes it impossible for to be invested in anything they do or might happen to them. I know it's hard to believe in an almost 700 page book no time was spent on character development but that seems to be the case. Example: The MC is space detective just like her mom, and we're told she's trying to get put of her mom's shadow but is she actually a good detective or is she just a fuck up who got the job via nepotism? It acts like this might be a point for character development but this is never really explored over the first several hundred pages. So two of the characters have a prior relationship but that dynamic also isn't explored and doesn't seem to matter. Instead what we get is page after page of very mid action scenes and other hammy over the top robots and AI characters. What a waste of pages.
I was considering dnfing but was undecided because I'm a completionist, but then I read reviews here saying the book ends on a cliffhanger with no conclusion at all. Fuck. That. Happy to be done and it's a strong DO NOT recommend.
When the horror element was revealed is when I became really disappointed with this book. It's incredibly unoriginal and one of my least favorite horror conventions (zombie-esque virus) just in a space setting. It's made even dumber by the AIs being infected and somehow mixing with the protagonist's mommy issues which makes 0 sense. There's 0 tension and 0 feeling of existential dread that every horror book should deliver. Instead it's just kind of fast pacing with 0 breathing room. The sci fi elements are also a letdown. There really aren't any interesting ideas explored nor really any cool tech other than generic space stuff and AIs on ships. But at least there's good characters right? Right?
Wrong. These characters have 0 development and aren't interesting in the least. It makes it impossible for to be invested in anything they do or might happen to them. I know it's hard to believe in an almost 700 page book no time was spent on character development but that seems to be the case. Example: The MC is space detective just like her mom, and we're told she's trying to get put of her mom's shadow but is she actually a good detective or is she just a fuck up who got the job via nepotism? It acts like this might be a point for character development but this is never really explored over the first several hundred pages. So two of the characters have a prior relationship but that dynamic also isn't explored and doesn't seem to matter. Instead what we get is page after page of very mid action scenes and other hammy over the top robots and AI characters. What a waste of pages.
I was considering dnfing but was undecided because I'm a completionist, but then I read reviews here saying the book ends on a cliffhanger with no conclusion at all. Fuck. That. Happy to be done and it's a strong DO NOT recommend.
March 20, 2023
Publication date: April 4, ,2023. I received a pre-publication electronic copy of this very good science fiction action thriller. Once started, it was difficult to put down. The plot was creative and exciting and the characters had depth. Not my favorite genre but this book broke the mold for me. Highly recommended.
My thanks to the author, David Wellington, and Orbit books for my e-copy of this book. #Goodreads Giveaway
My thanks to the author, David Wellington, and Orbit books for my e-copy of this book. #Goodreads Giveaway
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 13, 2023I got about 10% in, and I have to give up. The writing isn't necessarily bad, but it moves at a glacial pace, without a clear direction. The narration is okay, maybe a little flat.
(Picked up a review copy through NetGalley)
(Picked up a review copy through NetGalley)
April 4, 2023
I was enrapt with this fascinating Science Fiction novel from the very beginning. I'd read and enjoyed earlier novels by this author, but PARADISE-1 is just special! Amazingly, the farther I read the more engrossed I became ! So happy this is just the first of a Series, as there are so many themes and occurrences yet to be unraveled: some science-fictional, some metaphysical (AI's achieving self-awareness; at what point is humanity no longer human but solely living creature), some-yes-paranornal (about the persistence of life after death, and of psychic manipulation). So very much to delve into, and there is not one spare minute to breathe!
Total fascination throughout, and I am rabid for the sequel!
Total fascination throughout, and I am rabid for the sequel!
October 6, 2023
Stars: 2.5 out of 5.
I was fully onboard with this book for the first 50% or so of the story. Granted, one of the main characters was too stupid to exist, and some of her choices were that of a braindead child. But the story moved along at a good pace, things were happening, there was a big mystery about, so was happy to overlook an annoying character or two. But then the book kept going... and going... and going with no end in sight. Episodes started repeating themselves without bringing anything new to the story, and I was quickly losing interest.
As I had mentioned, the characterizations in this book are... rather lacking. And forget about character growth. I think the only character that has any is Rapscallion, and he is a sentient robot. Which tells you everything you need to know about the other characters. So if you are looking for a character driven story, move along. This ain't for you.
But the mystery of what the heck is happening around Paradise-1 and why all ships sent there stop responding was compelling enough to have me turning the pages for about half of the book. And I admit that the idea of an alien contract that can invade our minds by planting a destructive idea is rather horrifying, because our bodies have no defense against a virus that isn't biological in nature. I also really wanted to discover what was on Paradise-1 that needed to be guarded so fiercely, and why was it worth so many human lives and so many ships to try and get it.
Unfortunately, this book is at least 300 pages too long, so the story started repeating itself. We get to yet another ship that's infected with different version of the Basilisk. We encounter yet another crazy AI and see the horrors that happened to the human crew. We don't learn anything that we didn't know by reading the first half of the book. The characters flee the ship, or are saved, or take the ship over... then the action switches to yet another encounter with another infected ship.
Honestly, I think the story should have ended after their attempt to run the blockade to land on the planet. The 200 pages after that were just filler, with a few exception, like actually encountering the Basilisk, and even that could have been incorporated into the story differently.
Oh, did I mention that the book ends on a cliffhanger? No? Well, it does. 700 + pages end with no emotional payoff whatsoever. We still don't know what happened on Paradise-1 and why it was so important to get there. The story ends mid-action. I guess the reader would have to pick up the next book in the series to find out what happened to the colony on Paradise-1, but guess what?
I won't be along for the ride. I am not willing to sit through another overlong book and follow annoying characters just to find out that the story isn't finished and there is another cliffhanger. No thanks, I'm out.
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you liked this review, check out my blog.
I was fully onboard with this book for the first 50% or so of the story. Granted, one of the main characters was too stupid to exist, and some of her choices were that of a braindead child. But the story moved along at a good pace, things were happening, there was a big mystery about, so was happy to overlook an annoying character or two. But then the book kept going... and going... and going with no end in sight. Episodes started repeating themselves without bringing anything new to the story, and I was quickly losing interest.
As I had mentioned, the characterizations in this book are... rather lacking. And forget about character growth. I think the only character that has any is Rapscallion, and he is a sentient robot. Which tells you everything you need to know about the other characters. So if you are looking for a character driven story, move along. This ain't for you.
But the mystery of what the heck is happening around Paradise-1 and why all ships sent there stop responding was compelling enough to have me turning the pages for about half of the book. And I admit that the idea of an alien contract that can invade our minds by planting a destructive idea is rather horrifying, because our bodies have no defense against a virus that isn't biological in nature. I also really wanted to discover what was on Paradise-1 that needed to be guarded so fiercely, and why was it worth so many human lives and so many ships to try and get it.
Unfortunately, this book is at least 300 pages too long, so the story started repeating itself. We get to yet another ship that's infected with different version of the Basilisk. We encounter yet another crazy AI and see the horrors that happened to the human crew. We don't learn anything that we didn't know by reading the first half of the book. The characters flee the ship, or are saved, or take the ship over... then the action switches to yet another encounter with another infected ship.
Honestly, I think the story should have ended after their attempt to run the blockade to land on the planet. The 200 pages after that were just filler, with a few exception, like actually encountering the Basilisk, and even that could have been incorporated into the story differently.
Oh, did I mention that the book ends on a cliffhanger? No? Well, it does. 700 + pages end with no emotional payoff whatsoever. We still don't know what happened on Paradise-1 and why it was so important to get there. The story ends mid-action. I guess the reader would have to pick up the next book in the series to find out what happened to the colony on Paradise-1, but guess what?
I won't be along for the ride. I am not willing to sit through another overlong book and follow annoying characters just to find out that the story isn't finished and there is another cliffhanger. No thanks, I'm out.
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you liked this review, check out my blog.
March 3, 2023
David Wellington's Paradise-1, the first in a new series, is a fine example of just how fresh and enjoyable sci-fi horror can be when an author fully commits to an original premise instead of being merely content to regurgitate any or all aspects from the ALIEN franchise.
After screwing up and interfering with a larger investigation while tracking a serial killer, Special Agent Petrov is booted off-planet to explore why all communication with the Paradise-1 colony has suddenly ceased. She's joined by Dr. Lei Zhang, an impersonal screw-up required to wear a drug-injecting bracelet to keep his moods and behavior in check, and their pilot, Sam Parker, a former lover Petrov hasn't seen in ages. Before they even have time to wake from cyrosleep, they find their small ship under siege and vastly outnumbered by hostile forces encircling Paradise-1.
Paradise-1 carries the weight of its 700-plus pages rather well, rarely feeling like the bulky brick of a book that it is. The pacing, for the most part, is marvelously spot-on thanks to frenetic, unrelenting, break-neck action sequences piled high and deep, some truly well-earned scares, as well as Wellington's skillful use of cliff-hangers to propel readers forward and keep those pages turning at a rapid clip. Wellington got his start back in 2003, serializing online what would later become his debut novel, Monster Island. Paradise-1 proves he hasn't lost a step, often feeling like a serial adventure. His story is routinely riddled with various hooks to keep readers' attention, and nary a chapter goes by without some new hair-raising peril or revelation. Coupled with the chapters themselves being fairly short and punchy, Wellington has that compulsive "just one more chapter!" need for a fix down to a science.
What I most appreciated, though, was the total lack of bug-like creatures wreaking havoc and jingoistic militarism run rampant. Wellington aims much higher, delivering a startlingly scary alien pathogen that infects the mind, targeting and destroying both sentient and artificial intelligences and driving them beyond the brink of madness. Over the course of Paradise-1, Wellington exhibits how this parasitic idea unfolds and interacts with those it infects, to wonderfully deranged effect. On some of the affected ships, it plays out more like a zombie horror with the crew consumed by an unslakable hunger. Where it gets really trippy, though, is how one ship's AI responds to this need and the demented lengths it goes to try and satisfy its compulsions. On another ship, this rabid meme has turned its crew into a cult that poses unstoppable danger for all that cross its path. Wellington keeps readers on their toes the whole way through, shocking us with scenes of dark, grotesque body horror, then veering into mental instability as Petrova and her small company is forced from one damned ship filled with the mad to another orbital house of horrors.
While Paradise-1 is firmly engaging, it does start to get a bit creaky in the extended climax, wherein Petrova and Zhang are forced to confront past traumas. After we've already been hit with some repetitious scenes and explanations, the grand finale becomes a bit of a slog, even before hitting the dreaded TO BE CONTINUED... at story's end.
That said, I'd rather take a 700 page book with a unique premise that maintains so much momentum it only starts to feel stale in the last 100-odd pages than a 250-pager filled with derivative been there, done that riffs on pop culture staples we've already seen done better a hundred times before. Despite the finale being a bit of a slog, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more than ready for Paradise-2 by the time I hit that last page.
After screwing up and interfering with a larger investigation while tracking a serial killer, Special Agent Petrov is booted off-planet to explore why all communication with the Paradise-1 colony has suddenly ceased. She's joined by Dr. Lei Zhang, an impersonal screw-up required to wear a drug-injecting bracelet to keep his moods and behavior in check, and their pilot, Sam Parker, a former lover Petrov hasn't seen in ages. Before they even have time to wake from cyrosleep, they find their small ship under siege and vastly outnumbered by hostile forces encircling Paradise-1.
Paradise-1 carries the weight of its 700-plus pages rather well, rarely feeling like the bulky brick of a book that it is. The pacing, for the most part, is marvelously spot-on thanks to frenetic, unrelenting, break-neck action sequences piled high and deep, some truly well-earned scares, as well as Wellington's skillful use of cliff-hangers to propel readers forward and keep those pages turning at a rapid clip. Wellington got his start back in 2003, serializing online what would later become his debut novel, Monster Island. Paradise-1 proves he hasn't lost a step, often feeling like a serial adventure. His story is routinely riddled with various hooks to keep readers' attention, and nary a chapter goes by without some new hair-raising peril or revelation. Coupled with the chapters themselves being fairly short and punchy, Wellington has that compulsive "just one more chapter!" need for a fix down to a science.
What I most appreciated, though, was the total lack of bug-like creatures wreaking havoc and jingoistic militarism run rampant. Wellington aims much higher, delivering a startlingly scary alien pathogen that infects the mind, targeting and destroying both sentient and artificial intelligences and driving them beyond the brink of madness. Over the course of Paradise-1, Wellington exhibits how this parasitic idea unfolds and interacts with those it infects, to wonderfully deranged effect. On some of the affected ships, it plays out more like a zombie horror with the crew consumed by an unslakable hunger. Where it gets really trippy, though, is how one ship's AI responds to this need and the demented lengths it goes to try and satisfy its compulsions. On another ship, this rabid meme has turned its crew into a cult that poses unstoppable danger for all that cross its path. Wellington keeps readers on their toes the whole way through, shocking us with scenes of dark, grotesque body horror, then veering into mental instability as Petrova and her small company is forced from one damned ship filled with the mad to another orbital house of horrors.
While Paradise-1 is firmly engaging, it does start to get a bit creaky in the extended climax, wherein Petrova and Zhang are forced to confront past traumas. After we've already been hit with some repetitious scenes and explanations, the grand finale becomes a bit of a slog, even before hitting the dreaded TO BE CONTINUED... at story's end.
That said, I'd rather take a 700 page book with a unique premise that maintains so much momentum it only starts to feel stale in the last 100-odd pages than a 250-pager filled with derivative been there, done that riffs on pop culture staples we've already seen done better a hundred times before. Despite the finale being a bit of a slog, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more than ready for Paradise-2 by the time I hit that last page.
May 3, 2023
I wanted to love this one. The first few chapters were so strong, but it slowly started to lose me. This is a sci-fi horror where the set up is pretty clear from the get go. Our MCs get on a ship headed to Paradise-1, but things start to go very wrong on their way there. This could have been a super cool and complex first contact story. Instead, the author was more focused on action scenes. This made the plot move so fast, that honestly, there didn't seem to be much of one. I liked what we got from the characters, but again, they were so busy not getting blown up that we really didn't get much about them or any nuance. This was more action B movie than sci-fi horror book. Sadly, I won't be continuing.
June 20, 2023
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2023/05/19/...
I’m of two minds about Paradise-1 by David Wellington. On the one hand, I liked it better than his last book I read, The Last Astronaut. The premise was definitely more to my liking, but the book also suffered from some of the same issues as well as uneven pacing.
Despite the urgency implied by the publisher description, the story also does not in fact begin under such harrowing circumstances. Protagonist Lt. Alexandra Petrova of the Firewatch is first introduced when the story opens on Ganymede, where we find her in pursuit of a dangerous serial killer. When the mission ends in disaster, she is unceremoniously exiled to Paradise-1, a nascent colony on a distant planet. On the day of her departure, she discovers that the vessel transporting her only has two other human passengers—Dr. Zhang Lei, a socially awkward researcher who is haunted by his past, and Sam Parker, the ship’s pilot and a former lover of Alexandra’s. Joining them is also an artificial intelligence in a fabricated body named Rapscallion who will be overseeing ship functions and life support while the humans are placed in cryosleep for the long journey.
As their ship makes its final approach on Paradise-1, however, they are ambushed by a mysterious vessel. Lieutenant Petrova, Dr. Zhang, and Parker are literally shaken out of their pods, waking up to almost complete destruction. They also learn that their ship’s AI is corrupted and trying to reboot itself in an endless loop, while communications sent to the colony are going unanswered, leading to a desperate race against time to find out why. What could be affecting the human colonists on Paradise-1 as well as their onboard AI, making both behave in such an erratic, hostile manner? And in the meantime, the crew still has to figure out how to survive the relentless attack from the hostile ship.
First, the good: Character development was superb. From the beginning, Paradise-1 presented a captivating study of Alexandra Petrova, who has spent her life living in the shadow of her mother, a woman both revered and reviled. In essence, their complex relationship is key to everything that happens. Trying to live up to her mother’s expectations is what got Alexandra into Firewatch in the first place, and what eventually led to her downfall were her attempts to quell rumors of nepotism. Later, we find out that her mother had also gone to Paradise-1. As they say, the plot thickens.
My favorite character though, was Dr. Zhang. While many of the reasons are spoilers, what I can say is that he intrigued me the moment he was introduced in that awkward conversation with Petrova, and then grew steadily on me since. One of the highlights was watching him come out of his shell after suffering a traumatic incident at one of his past research labs, discovering the key role he plays in the disaster at Paradise-1, and seeing him come to trust his crewmates.
Paradise-1 was also much more frightening and intense in tone compared to The Last Astronaut. The story blends two of my favorite space horror tropes, killer AI and extraterrestrial viruses. Considering how our world has recently come out of a pandemic and is now debating the ethics and possible dangers of burgeoning AI technology, these topics seem fitting somehow. Wellington takes all the uncertainty surrounding these discussions and uses it to great effect.
As for the not-so-good: Pacing. Pacing, pacing, and pacing, especially when we are also trying to cram the drama of character backstories in between bouts of action. It wreaked havoc with the flow of the plot, resulting in many lulls. Then there was the question of whether this book needed to be 700 pages, arguably much too long considering its repetitive nature. While there were several arcs comprising this story, they all followed a similar pattern of scouting out a derelict ship, encountering the horror of what has become of their hapless occupants, confirming what we already know. This happened no less than three times, and little progression was made after the first. Worse, each time we lost a little more of the mystery and fear as impatience grew. To add insult to injury, the book also ended on a somewhat brutal cliffhanger, a final slap in the face.
What’s frustrating is that, without these problems, Paradise-1 would have been an amazing book. To be fair, the good still outweighed the bad, but although there were plenty of things I loved, I cannot give this on more than a middling rating due to the pacing issues. While I do want to pick up the sequel to find out what happens, if it turns out to be another 700+ page doorstopper…well, I may have to reconsider.
I’m of two minds about Paradise-1 by David Wellington. On the one hand, I liked it better than his last book I read, The Last Astronaut. The premise was definitely more to my liking, but the book also suffered from some of the same issues as well as uneven pacing.
Despite the urgency implied by the publisher description, the story also does not in fact begin under such harrowing circumstances. Protagonist Lt. Alexandra Petrova of the Firewatch is first introduced when the story opens on Ganymede, where we find her in pursuit of a dangerous serial killer. When the mission ends in disaster, she is unceremoniously exiled to Paradise-1, a nascent colony on a distant planet. On the day of her departure, she discovers that the vessel transporting her only has two other human passengers—Dr. Zhang Lei, a socially awkward researcher who is haunted by his past, and Sam Parker, the ship’s pilot and a former lover of Alexandra’s. Joining them is also an artificial intelligence in a fabricated body named Rapscallion who will be overseeing ship functions and life support while the humans are placed in cryosleep for the long journey.
As their ship makes its final approach on Paradise-1, however, they are ambushed by a mysterious vessel. Lieutenant Petrova, Dr. Zhang, and Parker are literally shaken out of their pods, waking up to almost complete destruction. They also learn that their ship’s AI is corrupted and trying to reboot itself in an endless loop, while communications sent to the colony are going unanswered, leading to a desperate race against time to find out why. What could be affecting the human colonists on Paradise-1 as well as their onboard AI, making both behave in such an erratic, hostile manner? And in the meantime, the crew still has to figure out how to survive the relentless attack from the hostile ship.
First, the good: Character development was superb. From the beginning, Paradise-1 presented a captivating study of Alexandra Petrova, who has spent her life living in the shadow of her mother, a woman both revered and reviled. In essence, their complex relationship is key to everything that happens. Trying to live up to her mother’s expectations is what got Alexandra into Firewatch in the first place, and what eventually led to her downfall were her attempts to quell rumors of nepotism. Later, we find out that her mother had also gone to Paradise-1. As they say, the plot thickens.
My favorite character though, was Dr. Zhang. While many of the reasons are spoilers, what I can say is that he intrigued me the moment he was introduced in that awkward conversation with Petrova, and then grew steadily on me since. One of the highlights was watching him come out of his shell after suffering a traumatic incident at one of his past research labs, discovering the key role he plays in the disaster at Paradise-1, and seeing him come to trust his crewmates.
Paradise-1 was also much more frightening and intense in tone compared to The Last Astronaut. The story blends two of my favorite space horror tropes, killer AI and extraterrestrial viruses. Considering how our world has recently come out of a pandemic and is now debating the ethics and possible dangers of burgeoning AI technology, these topics seem fitting somehow. Wellington takes all the uncertainty surrounding these discussions and uses it to great effect.
As for the not-so-good: Pacing. Pacing, pacing, and pacing, especially when we are also trying to cram the drama of character backstories in between bouts of action. It wreaked havoc with the flow of the plot, resulting in many lulls. Then there was the question of whether this book needed to be 700 pages, arguably much too long considering its repetitive nature. While there were several arcs comprising this story, they all followed a similar pattern of scouting out a derelict ship, encountering the horror of what has become of their hapless occupants, confirming what we already know. This happened no less than three times, and little progression was made after the first. Worse, each time we lost a little more of the mystery and fear as impatience grew. To add insult to injury, the book also ended on a somewhat brutal cliffhanger, a final slap in the face.
What’s frustrating is that, without these problems, Paradise-1 would have been an amazing book. To be fair, the good still outweighed the bad, but although there were plenty of things I loved, I cannot give this on more than a middling rating due to the pacing issues. While I do want to pick up the sequel to find out what happens, if it turns out to be another 700+ page doorstopper…well, I may have to reconsider.
May 8, 2023
Format: audiobook ~ Narrator: Laurel Lefkow
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars
Complete audiobook review
A robot named Rapscallion and three people (Alexandra Petrova, a FireWatch officer, Zhang Lei, a doctor, and Sam Parker, a pilot) travel to Paradise-1, Earth’s first deep space colony. None of them suspects what awaits them there.
The novel Paradise-1 is set in space. It is a gripping and fast-paced science fiction thriller with some elements of horror, and it is the first part of the trilogy (Red Space). The audiobook version is over 21 hours long. But even though it’s so long, the story is fast-paced, and you probably won’t feel like it drags. This was not my favorite type of sci-fi novel, but I enjoyed it anyway.
I recommend this to sci-fi readers, especially those who like fast-paced space operas.
Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars
Complete audiobook review
A robot named Rapscallion and three people (Alexandra Petrova, a FireWatch officer, Zhang Lei, a doctor, and Sam Parker, a pilot) travel to Paradise-1, Earth’s first deep space colony. None of them suspects what awaits them there.
The novel Paradise-1 is set in space. It is a gripping and fast-paced science fiction thriller with some elements of horror, and it is the first part of the trilogy (Red Space). The audiobook version is over 21 hours long. But even though it’s so long, the story is fast-paced, and you probably won’t feel like it drags. This was not my favorite type of sci-fi novel, but I enjoyed it anyway.
I recommend this to sci-fi readers, especially those who like fast-paced space operas.
Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
Read
March 15, 2023Oh man. This pain's me to even write this. After how much I loved 'The Last Astronaut' I was beyond excited to read this. But the opening sequence of this is so beyond cliché and predictable that I just can't go on. I've seen others talk about how much this novel would've benefited from being half the length it is and within the 25% I read, there was so much unnecessary extra stuff that I quickly became a slog to find any rhythm or any pull to get back into it. This one really missed the mark for me, which is such a shame, but I'm closing it here and moving on.
May 26, 2023
I tried, I really did. I love science fiction, and space operas, with a dash of horror on top, are a particular favorite of mine.
But this. This was the book equivalent of a kung-fu movie marathon: all action and hardly any story.
But this. This was the book equivalent of a kung-fu movie marathon: all action and hardly any story.
April 4, 2023
4.5*
Let's get the most burning question you all have out of the way immediately: no, this absolutely did not feel like a 700 page book, and it took me only perhaps a day longer than usual to finish it. I was very pleasantly surprised, and if that was the reason you were on the fence about this one, don't let it deter you, it moves very swiftly! Also, the chapters are nice and short, which helps me feel like things are moving along nicely.
I also loved the story, which helped. From the start, I was pulled in, as we begin with the stakes already clearly through the roof. But as the book goes on, things get even more exciting and tense, so I was kept intrigued throughout. There were a lot of twists, and both a ton of excitement as well as slower character-driven moments. Speaking of characters, it's a pretty small cast of characters but I absolutely loved them. And the robot Rapscallion injects some much needed wit and levity into the book, which I obviously appreciated.
Even though we get a lot of questions answered in this book, there are still so many more to come. I won't lie, even after nearly 700 pages, I was giddy excited to see that there would be a part two, so if you need to know how I felt about this one, know that I very desperately need more.
Bottom Line: Look, if you love a space adventure with characters you'll adore and all kinds of great plot twists, this is the book for you, regardless of page count.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Let's get the most burning question you all have out of the way immediately: no, this absolutely did not feel like a 700 page book, and it took me only perhaps a day longer than usual to finish it. I was very pleasantly surprised, and if that was the reason you were on the fence about this one, don't let it deter you, it moves very swiftly! Also, the chapters are nice and short, which helps me feel like things are moving along nicely.
I also loved the story, which helped. From the start, I was pulled in, as we begin with the stakes already clearly through the roof. But as the book goes on, things get even more exciting and tense, so I was kept intrigued throughout. There were a lot of twists, and both a ton of excitement as well as slower character-driven moments. Speaking of characters, it's a pretty small cast of characters but I absolutely loved them. And the robot Rapscallion injects some much needed wit and levity into the book, which I obviously appreciated.
Even though we get a lot of questions answered in this book, there are still so many more to come. I won't lie, even after nearly 700 pages, I was giddy excited to see that there would be a part two, so if you need to know how I felt about this one, know that I very desperately need more.
Bottom Line: Look, if you love a space adventure with characters you'll adore and all kinds of great plot twists, this is the book for you, regardless of page count.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
May 27, 2023
1⭐️😑 I’m so freaking angry right now! Seriously… who does that? Writes a book that’s 700 pages long and then ends with, “to be continued!”
I was going to DNF this several times and thought, “ no, I’m going to finish and see what this author has in store for us!” Let me tell you he didn’t have 💩 in store for us!
The book dragged from about 30% to well 100% and the whole time I’m sitting here waiting for the epic ending! I want those hours of my life back!
The plot was lost somewhere along in space and I had to ask myself what was the main idea of this book again?
There was little to no character development! There was no resolution to anything of interest that the author brought up… and a lot of dialog didn’t fit…at one point the AI says, “ He is dead as dirt.” Seriously? Considering there was no background on whether or not that particular AI had ever seen dirt and many people were not even born on a planet. I am so turned off of Wellington and doubt I will pick up anything else written by him.
I was going to DNF this several times and thought, “ no, I’m going to finish and see what this author has in store for us!” Let me tell you he didn’t have 💩 in store for us!
The book dragged from about 30% to well 100% and the whole time I’m sitting here waiting for the epic ending! I want those hours of my life back!
The plot was lost somewhere along in space and I had to ask myself what was the main idea of this book again?
There was little to no character development! There was no resolution to anything of interest that the author brought up… and a lot of dialog didn’t fit…at one point the AI says, “ He is dead as dirt.” Seriously? Considering there was no background on whether or not that particular AI had ever seen dirt and many people were not even born on a planet. I am so turned off of Wellington and doubt I will pick up anything else written by him.
dnf
February 12, 2023DNF at 31%, but not because it's poorly written. This is clearly a case of "it's me" and not the book. Since the book did nothing wrong in this relationship, I won't be giving it a rating.
I received this eARC courtesy of Netgalley and Orbit/Hachette Book Group. At the time I completely missed a crucial fact when I started reading it. It's classified as horror, then science fiction. Horror and I don't get along; I diligently avoid the genre like the plague. So shame on me for not paying attention! That said, it's a very well-written story, just not for me. I think there are plenty of readers that would enjoy this, particularly those who enjoy horror.
I received this eARC courtesy of Netgalley and Orbit/Hachette Book Group. At the time I completely missed a crucial fact when I started reading it. It's classified as horror, then science fiction. Horror and I don't get along; I diligently avoid the genre like the plague. So shame on me for not paying attention! That said, it's a very well-written story, just not for me. I think there are plenty of readers that would enjoy this, particularly those who enjoy horror.
Read
April 30, 2023DNF @ 38%
I’m not rating this as I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it per se, I just got bored with it and didn’t want to finish. I’m wondering if Wellington maybe isn’t a good fit for me; I didn’t care for the last book of his I read, The Last Astronaut, although I did at least finish that one.
I’m not rating this as I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it per se, I just got bored with it and didn’t want to finish. I’m wondering if Wellington maybe isn’t a good fit for me; I didn’t care for the last book of his I read, The Last Astronaut, although I did at least finish that one.
February 14, 2023
This book was somewhat frustrating to read, review, and rate.
It wasn’t what I was expecting, and it was long, so I stayed committed hoping to at least get answers by the end.
Well, no answers, a blunt cliff hanger and more questions is how this book ended. I found this incredibly annoying and despite wanting to know what the heck is actually going on, it’s thrown me off wanting to read any sequels.
The positives of this book were:
- the first half was intense, action packed, and kept you at the edge of your seat. I found the second half a bit more slow, repetitive (literally different characters would repeat the same observations).
- the characters, especially Rapscallion, were great to follow along with. Rapscallion is probably my favourite AI/robot character of all time now.
- a different take on a space thriller with a unique malevolent “being”.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Orbit Books for a copy.
It wasn’t what I was expecting, and it was long, so I stayed committed hoping to at least get answers by the end.
Well, no answers, a blunt cliff hanger and more questions is how this book ended. I found this incredibly annoying and despite wanting to know what the heck is actually going on, it’s thrown me off wanting to read any sequels.
The positives of this book were:
- the first half was intense, action packed, and kept you at the edge of your seat. I found the second half a bit more slow, repetitive (literally different characters would repeat the same observations).
- the characters, especially Rapscallion, were great to follow along with. Rapscallion is probably my favourite AI/robot character of all time now.
- a different take on a space thriller with a unique malevolent “being”.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Orbit Books for a copy.
April 30, 2023
While I enjoyed the first half of this one, the second half fell flat for me. I finished the book feeling like all the questions I had weren’t answered in any way, and that’s one of the most frustrating things for me. There were more than a few moments where I felt like I just wanted to put this down but I continued because I was hoping to have my questions answered, how wrong was it because it ended on a cliff hanger with zero answers. I’m not sure I’ll pick up the sequel.
Thank you to Orbit UK for sending me a copy of this one.
Thank you to Orbit UK for sending me a copy of this one.
March 5, 2023
[Blurb goes here]
Dr. Zhang witnessed how the Titan colony under his care died from a strange desease, all inhabitants just stopped breathing, they had to make a conscious effort to keep inhaling and exhaling air, that is, until they couldn't keep up. Now he's forced to go to Paradise-1, an Earth-like planet inhabited by a human colony.
Special Agent Petrov, from the Firewatch military force, botched her last mission, going against orders, she follows and subdues a doctor, the man accused of kidnaping colonists from Ganymede. The man has put all of them in an abandoned mine. He's saving them, he argues, since all of the kidnaping victims are unable to speak.
Instead of demoting Petrov, her superiors give her a mission, she's to go to Paradise-1 along with doctor Zhang, Sam Parker and Rapscallion, a robot, on the spaceship Artemis.
As soon as they arrive to the star system where Paradise-1 is located, they're attacked. Another ship is throwing containers at them, using some sort of railgun. Their ship is in ruins. Their survival chances, slim...all through out the book!
Now I have to say that I enjoyed this adventure to no end. All characters are fleshed out and rich in detail. Rapscallion, the robot, is my favorite character by far. Don't get me wrong, I loved all the heroes in this story, they way they are written, the way they have flaws, but try to do better.
The 'enemy' is amazingly conceptualized. This is not your average creature feature. It goes a few steps beyond that...No, I won't elaborate, wouldn't dare ruining the surprise for those who decide to give this fast paced story a try.
I'm eagerly awaiting for the next installment!
Thank you for the advanced copy!
Dr. Zhang witnessed how the Titan colony under his care died from a strange desease, all inhabitants just stopped breathing, they had to make a conscious effort to keep inhaling and exhaling air, that is, until they couldn't keep up. Now he's forced to go to Paradise-1, an Earth-like planet inhabited by a human colony.
Special Agent Petrov, from the Firewatch military force, botched her last mission, going against orders, she follows and subdues a doctor, the man accused of kidnaping colonists from Ganymede. The man has put all of them in an abandoned mine. He's saving them, he argues, since all of the kidnaping victims are unable to speak.
Instead of demoting Petrov, her superiors give her a mission, she's to go to Paradise-1 along with doctor Zhang, Sam Parker and Rapscallion, a robot, on the spaceship Artemis.
As soon as they arrive to the star system where Paradise-1 is located, they're attacked. Another ship is throwing containers at them, using some sort of railgun. Their ship is in ruins. Their survival chances, slim...all through out the book!
Now I have to say that I enjoyed this adventure to no end. All characters are fleshed out and rich in detail. Rapscallion, the robot, is my favorite character by far. Don't get me wrong, I loved all the heroes in this story, they way they are written, the way they have flaws, but try to do better.
The 'enemy' is amazingly conceptualized. This is not your average creature feature. It goes a few steps beyond that...No, I won't elaborate, wouldn't dare ruining the surprise for those who decide to give this fast paced story a try.
I'm eagerly awaiting for the next installment!
Thank you for the advanced copy!
May 15, 2025
Daktaras Lei Zhangas ir specialioji agentė Petrova išsiunčiami į misiją sužinoti, kas nutiko kolonijoje Paradise-1, su kuria nepavyksta užmegzti ryšio. Tačiau vos jų laivas išneria erdvėje netoli planetos, juos be jokio perspėjimo atakuoja paslaptingas laivas, o jų pačių žvaigždėlaivio AI išprotėja ir persikraudinėja tūkstančius kartų per sekundę. Maža to – visa erdvė aplink Paradise-1 knibždėte knibžda laivų. Ir neatrodo, kad jie būtų nusiteikė draugiškai. Petrovai ir Zhangui teks išsiaiškinti, kas per velniava čia vyksta. Aišku, jei jiems pavyks išgyventi.
Užuomazga buvo nebloga. Bėda, kad esminė mįslė labai greitai atskleidžiama. Ir tuomet kažkaip darosi nuobodu skaityti. Ne, veiksmo daugiau nei pakanka – bet jis toks... labiau, kad būtų. Iš esmės tas pats gromuliuojama skirtingais kampais. Ir visa dinamika to neatperka. Maža to, atskleidus vieną paslaptį, mums pateikiama antra, bet net užuominų į jos atskleidimą negauname. O romanas baigiasi taip, tarsi autorius tiesiog staiga būtų pasibaigęs popierius.
Nepulsiu ieškotis antros dalies, juolab, kad žadama trečia dar neparašyta. Nenoriu vėl likti su prakąstu, bet taip ir nesuvalgytu obuoliu.
Trys iš penkių. Ir netgi labai skysti trys.
Užuomazga buvo nebloga. Bėda, kad esminė mįslė labai greitai atskleidžiama. Ir tuomet kažkaip darosi nuobodu skaityti. Ne, veiksmo daugiau nei pakanka – bet jis toks... labiau, kad būtų. Iš esmės tas pats gromuliuojama skirtingais kampais. Ir visa dinamika to neatperka. Maža to, atskleidus vieną paslaptį, mums pateikiama antra, bet net užuominų į jos atskleidimą negauname. O romanas baigiasi taip, tarsi autorius tiesiog staiga būtų pasibaigęs popierius.
Nepulsiu ieškotis antros dalies, juolab, kad žadama trečia dar neparašyta. Nenoriu vėl likti su prakąstu, bet taip ir nesuvalgytu obuoliu.
Trys iš penkių. Ir netgi labai skysti trys.
October 8, 2024
This book is very fast paced with small chapters. Oddly enough, it felt both like it was going too fast and that it would never end. Speaking of the end, WTF was that? It just abruptly stops and says, "to be continued". I would have NEVER picked this up if I had known that it wasn't a standalone.
This was a last chance book for this author, for me. I enjoyed it, mostly, but there was a lot of extraneous shit that could've been left out so it could be finished in one book. Then to just... end. Right in the middle of something.
I'm out. I doubt I'll pick up another book from this author. Many people enjoy his work, it's just not for me.
This was a last chance book for this author, for me. I enjoyed it, mostly, but there was a lot of extraneous shit that could've been left out so it could be finished in one book. Then to just... end. Right in the middle of something.
I'm out. I doubt I'll pick up another book from this author. Many people enjoy his work, it's just not for me.
April 7, 2023
4.5 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Alexandra Petrova is a washed up Firewatch agent. Exiled to a distant retirement colony, she and her ragtag crew have been instructed to investigate the area and report back.
Zhang Lei is having rather a bad day. Then again, all days are bad—this is just the latest of them. If it were up to him, Zhang would’ve simply laid down and died long ago. Unfortunately for him, someone has seen fit to keep him alive, often at the expense of his personal feelings on the subject.
When their ship is attacked only a moment after dropping out of hyperspace, Zhang and Petrova must band together to defend the ship—and complete their mission—before anything else goes awry. Unfortunately, it seems nothing about their mission is as it appears.
The orbit of Paradise-1 lies littered with debris and destroyed ships. The planet they’ve been sent to investigate: lies dark, with no transmission or signs of life. Not that they can check. What life still exists in the skies above this world seem intent on keeping them off it.
But with no way back, they can only push forward—one way or another.
—
Paradise-1 was sold to me really in two phrases. The first is right there on the cover: “Endless Dark. Endless Terror.” The second, from the book’s blurb, is: “What the crew of the Artemis find is more horrifying than anything they could have imagined.” Both of these quotes on their own seem to hint at an epic and horrible adventure. Together, they almost promise it.
Needless to say, Paradise-1 fails to deliver.
Mostly, it was boring. There’s a lot going on in this book, but not 700-pages a lot. There’s a good bit of distance between anything that happens and anything else that happens, repeated again and again over the course of 680 pages. It could’ve easily been half that amount—and still been boring. The “endless horror” bit is a bit much; I’d more class this as infrequent weirdness punctuated by long periods of silence that I’m assuming were meant to build tension, but instead just separate one oddity from another, and screw the pacing all to hell. There do exist some genuine white-knuckled moments. They’re just few and faaaar between. The rest of the time is spent talking, traveling, or is simply wasted on existing among the stars. Upon starting this, I’d assumed it’d take a little to land on the planet, then a bit more to explore it.
Instead, we spend the entirety of the book above Paradise-1, only to earn just the barest glimpse of it (a tease, if you will) at the very end. An ending, I might add, that gives up fuck-all. I’d been skimming a bit by that point, but my genuine reaction was still “That’s it?” It was such a letdown that I had to reassess how invested I’d actually become in the damned thing. The answer is… complicated, but at least somewhat.
I’d be tempted to say that there’s a good story hiding within here somewhere, but only if you enjoy cliffhangers. And only if you’ve made you peace with stories that give you no resolution at the end. Still, I did make it to the end. And I was legitimately pissed off by the ending. And despite the overwhelming lack of terror, it was pretty dark. So… while my rating won’t be great, and I can’t in good conscience recommend this, it really could’ve been worse.
TL;DR
From what I can tell there are really two camps on this: the people that finished it seem to quite enjoy it, while those that didn’t enjoy it mostly didn’t finish it. Personally, my recommendation is to skip Paradise-1, but if you don’t, or you’re curious—give it a try. If you like it—great! But if you burn out—give it up. Nothing happens at the end, anyway.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Alexandra Petrova is a washed up Firewatch agent. Exiled to a distant retirement colony, she and her ragtag crew have been instructed to investigate the area and report back.
Zhang Lei is having rather a bad day. Then again, all days are bad—this is just the latest of them. If it were up to him, Zhang would’ve simply laid down and died long ago. Unfortunately for him, someone has seen fit to keep him alive, often at the expense of his personal feelings on the subject.
When their ship is attacked only a moment after dropping out of hyperspace, Zhang and Petrova must band together to defend the ship—and complete their mission—before anything else goes awry. Unfortunately, it seems nothing about their mission is as it appears.
The orbit of Paradise-1 lies littered with debris and destroyed ships. The planet they’ve been sent to investigate: lies dark, with no transmission or signs of life. Not that they can check. What life still exists in the skies above this world seem intent on keeping them off it.
But with no way back, they can only push forward—one way or another.
—
Paradise-1 was sold to me really in two phrases. The first is right there on the cover: “Endless Dark. Endless Terror.” The second, from the book’s blurb, is: “What the crew of the Artemis find is more horrifying than anything they could have imagined.” Both of these quotes on their own seem to hint at an epic and horrible adventure. Together, they almost promise it.
Needless to say, Paradise-1 fails to deliver.
Mostly, it was boring. There’s a lot going on in this book, but not 700-pages a lot. There’s a good bit of distance between anything that happens and anything else that happens, repeated again and again over the course of 680 pages. It could’ve easily been half that amount—and still been boring. The “endless horror” bit is a bit much; I’d more class this as infrequent weirdness punctuated by long periods of silence that I’m assuming were meant to build tension, but instead just separate one oddity from another, and screw the pacing all to hell. There do exist some genuine white-knuckled moments. They’re just few and faaaar between. The rest of the time is spent talking, traveling, or is simply wasted on existing among the stars. Upon starting this, I’d assumed it’d take a little to land on the planet, then a bit more to explore it.
Instead, we spend the entirety of the book above Paradise-1, only to earn just the barest glimpse of it (a tease, if you will) at the very end. An ending, I might add, that gives up fuck-all. I’d been skimming a bit by that point, but my genuine reaction was still “That’s it?” It was such a letdown that I had to reassess how invested I’d actually become in the damned thing. The answer is… complicated, but at least somewhat.
I’d be tempted to say that there’s a good story hiding within here somewhere, but only if you enjoy cliffhangers. And only if you’ve made you peace with stories that give you no resolution at the end. Still, I did make it to the end. And I was legitimately pissed off by the ending. And despite the overwhelming lack of terror, it was pretty dark. So… while my rating won’t be great, and I can’t in good conscience recommend this, it really could’ve been worse.
TL;DR
From what I can tell there are really two camps on this: the people that finished it seem to quite enjoy it, while those that didn’t enjoy it mostly didn’t finish it. Personally, my recommendation is to skip Paradise-1, but if you don’t, or you’re curious—give it a try. If you like it—great! But if you burn out—give it up. Nothing happens at the end, anyway.
April 9, 2023
4.5 stars
Sci-Fi/Horror novel from NetGalley releases April 4th.
Has as the great features of a Sci-fi
Self-Aware Robots✅
Space travel✅
Cryosleep✅
Space crime/law enforcement✅
Space Zombies ✅
Corrupt AI✅
Aliens✅
This book is non-stop action. It’s exciting, unpredictable, and at times horrific. I could not put it down. I loved every crazy second of this Sci-Fi Horror book.
Special Agent Petrov sent great at following orders, and ends up on a ship bound for the space colony Paradise 1. Along for the ride is a doctor with a mysterious device, and and the Captian, her ex-lover.
As soon as they arrive they find their ship under attack, and they are unable to communicate with the colony or anyone else. Where is everyone?
BEWARE: the CLIFFHANGER ending.
This novel is about getting to Paradise 1, but almost as soon as they land the book ends
Sci-Fi/Horror novel from NetGalley releases April 4th.
Has as the great features of a Sci-fi
Self-Aware Robots✅
Space travel✅
Cryosleep✅
Space crime/law enforcement✅
Space Zombies ✅
Corrupt AI✅
Aliens✅
This book is non-stop action. It’s exciting, unpredictable, and at times horrific. I could not put it down. I loved every crazy second of this Sci-Fi Horror book.
Special Agent Petrov sent great at following orders, and ends up on a ship bound for the space colony Paradise 1. Along for the ride is a doctor with a mysterious device, and and the Captian, her ex-lover.
As soon as they arrive they find their ship under attack, and they are unable to communicate with the colony or anyone else. Where is everyone?
BEWARE: the CLIFFHANGER ending.
This novel is about getting to Paradise 1, but almost as soon as they land the book ends
May 31, 2023
i Have to stop reading horror sci-fi before bed. after i finished this one i was visited by a spider that scuttled across my hand and pillowcase and then into my blankets ruining my bedtime and my sleep for the night as i had to tear apart my sheets to try and find and kill it. i can’t tell you how these two events are connected but i am positive they are.
October 26, 2024
I really loved this book! I decided to do the audiobook for this one and I thought it was so well done. The narrator was interesting to listen to and she did a great job giving each one a distinct voice and personality.
I really loved the concept of the basilisk and how it impacts a ship. I found this be a really fun element. I also really loved the found family element is this book as well. How the 3 people come together plus the robot and AI.
My only thing with this book, is it feels about 100 pages too long. There is a lot of repetition and starts to feel a bit of a slog in the middle and the end. However I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.
I really loved the concept of the basilisk and how it impacts a ship. I found this be a really fun element. I also really loved the found family element is this book as well. How the 3 people come together plus the robot and AI.
My only thing with this book, is it feels about 100 pages too long. There is a lot of repetition and starts to feel a bit of a slog in the middle and the end. However I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.
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