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Stargate Atlantis #9
Mirror, Mirror
Too good to be true...
When an Ancient prodigy gives the Atlantis expedition Charybdis - a device capable of eliminating the Wraith - it's an offer they can't refuse. But the experiment fails disastrously, threatening to unravel the fabric of the Pegasus Galaxy - and the entire universe beyond.
Doctor Weir's team find themselves trapped and alone in very different versions of Atlantis, each fighting for their lives and their sanity in a galaxy falling apart at the seams. And as the terrible truth begins to sink in, they realize that they must undo the damage Charybdis has wrought while they still can.
Embarking on a desperate attempt to escape the maddening tangle of realities, each tries to return to their own Atlantis before it's too late. But the one thing standing in their way is themselves...
When an Ancient prodigy gives the Atlantis expedition Charybdis - a device capable of eliminating the Wraith - it's an offer they can't refuse. But the experiment fails disastrously, threatening to unravel the fabric of the Pegasus Galaxy - and the entire universe beyond.
Doctor Weir's team find themselves trapped and alone in very different versions of Atlantis, each fighting for their lives and their sanity in a galaxy falling apart at the seams. And as the terrible truth begins to sink in, they realize that they must undo the damage Charybdis has wrought while they still can.
Embarking on a desperate attempt to escape the maddening tangle of realities, each tries to return to their own Atlantis before it's too late. But the one thing standing in their way is themselves...
361 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2008
22 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
June 8, 2011
Wasn't too impressed with the book editing. I mean, it's not very often that you can find a spelling mistake in a published novel! My spelling is horrible, but McKay being "looked up in a cell" [locked!] should have been caught.
Next, I think the author is a very cleaver and witty person, but she tries too hard to show it off with cute writing. Within a half a dozen sentences you get: "His fingers were so cold, he couldn't have felt a one-stroke diesel engine" and then "the water was cold enough to freeze a polar bear's privates". The amount of this type of cutesy superfluous writing is enough to change a Japanese Hello-Kitty obsessed schoolgirl into Mike Tyson. (lol...see what I did there?)
Lastly, this book is clearly not something at a non-Stargate fan would ever pick up. So why do we need this: "which would be useless the second the gate was activated; the vortex of an establishing wormhole instantly vaporized everything it touched." That is Stargate 101. Plus, in earlier references to the same dilemma, she doesn't feel the need to explain. If you must pander to some random reader, do it the first time, and then trust that they "get it" for the rest of the book.
All that being said, the book was entertaining and fun. I am glad this book exists, as I think it would be almost impossible to make an episode out of! We need these novels, to give us what we can't get out of 42 minute stories on the tube. Yay Stargate! I want an SGU book!
Next, I think the author is a very cleaver and witty person, but she tries too hard to show it off with cute writing. Within a half a dozen sentences you get: "His fingers were so cold, he couldn't have felt a one-stroke diesel engine" and then "the water was cold enough to freeze a polar bear's privates". The amount of this type of cutesy superfluous writing is enough to change a Japanese Hello-Kitty obsessed schoolgirl into Mike Tyson. (lol...see what I did there?)
Lastly, this book is clearly not something at a non-Stargate fan would ever pick up. So why do we need this: "which would be useless the second the gate was activated; the vortex of an establishing wormhole instantly vaporized everything it touched." That is Stargate 101. Plus, in earlier references to the same dilemma, she doesn't feel the need to explain. If you must pander to some random reader, do it the first time, and then trust that they "get it" for the rest of the book.
All that being said, the book was entertaining and fun. I am glad this book exists, as I think it would be almost impossible to make an episode out of! We need these novels, to give us what we can't get out of 42 minute stories on the tube. Yay Stargate! I want an SGU book!
August 23, 2020
I'm not a fan of this author's stories. I think her plots are too dark (in this case, the Ancients make war on human villages and eat the dead) without enough team banter and humor as a counterbalance. The concept of a timeline-scattering Ancient technology is more interesting than the timelines it created.
May 23, 2022
I like alt uni stories but not enough of the team being together.
February 8, 2022
I stopped reading this book a quarter of the way through. It's a multiple alternate universe story. It's confusing. I wasn't enjoying it and I was many chapters into it.
August 29, 2018
So far, this is one of the best if not the best stargate novels I've read so far. It is everything that the series stands for. The beginning is endlessly fascinating - first couple of chapters, the POV characters are usually not identified until the end of the scene, but somehow the voices are all so distinct that you could immediately figure it out even without being told. The way the story fits and weaves together is quite masterful, and left me catching every word until the very end... I'm not sure how effectively it actually splices into the main canon, considering that the characters have effectively lived a lifetime before going back, but as far as fanfiction is concerned, it is certainly quite excellent.
January 5, 2020
Some Stargate novels are excellent, some are average, some are bad. This one is bad. Badly structured/plotted and really badly proofed. The number of stupid proofing errors is significant. The Stargate novels are normally much better than this sad example. I almost didn't bother finishing it as it was such a chore to read.
February 1, 2018
Very involved and suspenseful. Totally worth a read.
I was thinking it had to do with alternate universes (Star Trek shout out! Woot!) But it's so much more complicated than just one alternate universe!
I was thinking it had to do with alternate universes (Star Trek shout out! Woot!) But it's so much more complicated than just one alternate universe!
August 10, 2018
This was unique in that you got to see various worlds and various "editions" of each of our favorite characters. It took a little getting used to -- hopping from one scenario to the next -- but you could feel what the characters were experiencing that way. Good edition to the series.
January 13, 2022
A MUST READ IN ATLANTIS SERIES
The book is a bit confusing at first, but then the author cleverly starts bringing the threads together for an amazing story that has me up half the night needing to know how it ended.. Highly recommend this book for true Stargate Atlantis fans!
The book is a bit confusing at first, but then the author cleverly starts bringing the threads together for an amazing story that has me up half the night needing to know how it ended.. Highly recommend this book for true Stargate Atlantis fans!
February 13, 2018
Awsome thrilling
I just loved and I recommend who loved stargate enjoy I love it and would read all over again and again
I just loved and I recommend who loved stargate enjoy I love it and would read all over again and again
February 14, 2020
So good!! The twists and turns and temporal tomfoolery and chaos and EVERYTHING!!!
March 6, 2021
Oooh... this was actually terrible. Stargate Atlantis in the Multiverse of Madness, but no one is in character and I kept hearing blond!Weir in my head saying, "I don't really care."
June 24, 2021
I always enjoy time travel and alternate reality stories, and combining that with one of my favourite series', Atlantis, means I loved this book.
December 29, 2021
I just didn't enjoy this one as much. The various timelines the team found themselves in were all fairly depressing.
February 9, 2022
I really don't enjoy alternate universe and/or time travel stories, and this was both.
April 15, 2024
DNF, really not my style of writing and couldn’t bear to read past 20%.
September 21, 2024
One of the better ones in the series
August 25, 2013
Až mi je ľúto dať tejto knihe rovnaký počet hviezdičiek ako 50 Shades of Grey, ale vôbec ma nebavilo. Nápad by mohol byť aj zaujímavý, ale prevedenie je zlé. Od začiatku až do konca je príbeh pomalý a strašne zmätený, väčšinu času som nechápala, čo sa deje (nepomohlo tomu ani to, že som neskôr začala doslova letieť a dosť preskakovať, aby som ju vôbec dočítala), niektoré české frázy vôbec nesedeli. Vôbec som pri čítaní nemala pocit, ako keby som sledovala epizódu, aj všetky postavy zneli akosi cudzo.
Nakoniec aspoň pár úryvkov, pri ktorých som sa aspoň trochu pousmiala, inak sa mi kniha zdala dosť temný a chýbalo jej odľahčenie typické pre seriál.
Nakoniec aspoň pár úryvkov, pri ktorých som sa aspoň trochu pousmiala, inak sa mi kniha zdala dosť temný a chýbalo jej odľahčenie typické pre seriál.
"Jde mi to na nervy," Zelenka growled to himself and added a couple of oaths that were new to Elizabeth. She decided against translating. "He kinda reminds me of Hermiod when he does that," whispered John, gently listing in her direction. "More hair," she whispered back. "More clothes."
What did make him shudder, though, was the litany of complaints they'd be treated to once they found McKay. Then again, he'd gladly listen to it and the inevitable encores, just as long as they did find the scintist. Ronon wanted to go back to his Atlantis and hug a few Wraith.
The only thing about him [Sheppard] that looked fine-or normal at least- was that shock of black hair, which stood up every which way as usual and provided a stratling contrast to his waxen face.
"Propanakrale!" yelped Zelenka, and John assumed that, whatever it meant, it echoed his own and Elizabeth's reactions.
November 29, 2011
The team discovers an ancient who has uploaded himself into a computer terminal. He has been running simulations to determine how to keep the Iratus bug from evolving into the wraith. It is decided to move forward with his plan. But the plan goes horribly wrong and fractures time into many dimensions. Each team member must find a way to get back to the right dimension and reverse the damage. [return][return]This was different. All in all it was slow and somewhat confusing. I really finished it because I didn’t have anything else to read. My biggest problem was that very few of the team members are together. There was very little character interaction and the plot was too slow to make up for that. The story is pretty dark too. Each dimension showcases the dark side of humanity. For the team it is just one disaster after another, right up until the end, with none of the banter or humor that is a part of SGA. Not really worth the time.
November 25, 2008
I really liked this book, the whole idea, the adventure, the fact that we saw everybody's POV, including Zelenka's. So, why didn't I give it 5 stars? Well:
a) The author should have definitely let a Czech native speaker take a look at Zelenka's Czech phrases - some of them are totally nonsensical.
b) There were some small mistakes - like the fact that Atlantis' gate had no shield or that McKay liked a lemon cake (on the show, he's allergic to citrus!)
c) It was too bad that for the better part of the book the team was separated - which was the point, after all but I really adore those four working together!
But mostly, the one star lacking is point c). Other than that, the story was truly fascinating and I loved the whole Ikaros thingy.
a) The author should have definitely let a Czech native speaker take a look at Zelenka's Czech phrases - some of them are totally nonsensical.
b) There were some small mistakes - like the fact that Atlantis' gate had no shield or that McKay liked a lemon cake (on the show, he's allergic to citrus!)
c) It was too bad that for the better part of the book the team was separated - which was the point, after all but I really adore those four working together!
But mostly, the one star lacking is point c). Other than that, the story was truly fascinating and I loved the whole Ikaros thingy.
February 15, 2015
As you all know I am a stargate atlantis afficionado. And even if the books aren't that good I try reading them. Why? Because I Really love the series. But some stories don't feel Stargate Atlantis stories. And this was one of them. Even the characters didn't felt like those we knew.
Basically we have several dimensions and each one with our characters. So each one is one dimension and must find a way to the right one. Everyone got a part and in this novel even Zelenka as the right to "speak".
Unfortunally there is too much time wasted with everyone seperated that I didn't enjoy. And as I said before each character felt different from what we are used to it. Even the funny dialogues so characteristic from the colonel and mckay aren't that good.
Basically we have several dimensions and each one with our characters. So each one is one dimension and must find a way to the right one. Everyone got a part and in this novel even Zelenka as the right to "speak".
Unfortunally there is too much time wasted with everyone seperated that I didn't enjoy. And as I said before each character felt different from what we are used to it. Even the funny dialogues so characteristic from the colonel and mckay aren't that good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2014
The weaving of characters' perspectives in a shattered schism of multiple alternate universes and timelines in this book are done amazingly well. The writer displays an in depth knowledge of SGA lore. Each characters' voice from the team is clear and distinctly matching up with the way they were written in the TV series (even down to the peripheral characters). As a piece of SGA fanfiction, you won't find better. Wonderfully written and suspenseful, with a great story that fits perfectly in the world of SGA without conflicting with the established history/lore.
From the perspective of a hard-core SGA fan, this was the only book in the Stargate Atlantis series I've found compelling so far.
From the perspective of a hard-core SGA fan, this was the only book in the Stargate Atlantis series I've found compelling so far.
January 8, 2014
Overall, I enjoyed this novelized version of the SG Atlantis world. A few parts were confusing or distracting because there is quite a bit of jumping around timelines and alternate universes. Generally, I like time travel and/or alternate universe stories. This one would have been stronger had they focused on 1-3 rather than the 5 or so different versions of Atlantis. I wish it went a little bit deeper on the development of Ancients in a Wraith-free. On the positive, I really enjoyed the focus on Teyla and Ronan. The crazy Elizabeth was good too.
July 15, 2014
A piece of time-altering Ancient technology fractures reality into a bunch of alternate universes and timelines in which the Wraith never evolved, leaving the members of Sheppard's team as well as Elizabeth and Zelenka each stranded in a different alternate timeline. They must now find their ways back to each other across realities and reverse the process before the entire galaxy is destroyed.
A great, intriguing storyline that starts out a bit confusing with the many timeline-jumps, but quickly sucked me in.
A great, intriguing storyline that starts out a bit confusing with the many timeline-jumps, but quickly sucked me in.
November 4, 2013
Reality has been split up, and different realities are starting to collapse. This is a complicated storyline and does take a bit of concentration to follow. There's some clever realities where the Ancients are as bad as the wraith. All characters act like you would expect. My only problem is that nearly all the characters went through hell and its just brushed under the carpet at the end. A good read.
August 2, 2011
One of the best Stargate Atlantis novels to date! Fantastic team story - lots of action, and everyone is in on it. It felt very much like an episode - an episode I would have killed to see. The author takes a classic sci-fi plot and gives it a very Stargate-y spin. Fun read, and literally one I couldn't put down!
February 3, 2012
I sped through the rest of this book last night.
The good thing about these kinds of books, is you can skip entire chapters and not miss a thing. The bad thing about these kinds of books, is you can skip entire chapters and not miss a thing.
But WTH, they're easy and fun.
If you like stories that involve time travel and whatnot, you'll like this.
The good thing about these kinds of books, is you can skip entire chapters and not miss a thing. The bad thing about these kinds of books, is you can skip entire chapters and not miss a thing.
But WTH, they're easy and fun.
If you like stories that involve time travel and whatnot, you'll like this.
February 21, 2015
Not bad but not incredible. The situation and plot are fascinating, but it could've used another few passes of editing (some spelling errors stick out) and the tone of some of the characters' personalities weren't quite right; for instance, Ronon saying "crap" or the very American Sheppard using British slang.
Still enjoyable and thought-provoking, and fairly well woven.
Still enjoyable and thought-provoking, and fairly well woven.
November 25, 2008
Can get really confusing, and a bit of a letdown, but still a pretty decent SGA novel, which have been even more disappointing book for book than the SG-1 novels. Bauer seems to do pretty well, she just lacks good character interaction for the most part, which I really enjoy.
September 4, 2009
A very great read. The author has the "character voices" down pat, but you gotta keep on your toes, because (especially in the beginning) it could get pretty confusing with all the various timelines.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews