What do you think?
Rate this book
Assassin's Orbit
Golden Girls meets The Expanse with a side of Babylon Five
Murder forces unlikely allies
On the eve of the planet Ileri's historic vote to join the Commonwealth, the assassination of a government minister threatens to shatter everything. Private investigator Noo Okereke and spy Meiko Ogawa join forces with police chief Toiwa to investigate - and discover clues that point disturbingly toward a threat humanity thought they had escaped.
A threat that could destroy Ileri and spark an interplanetary war... unless the disparate team can work together to solve the mystery.
Murder forces unlikely allies
On the eve of the planet Ileri's historic vote to join the Commonwealth, the assassination of a government minister threatens to shatter everything. Private investigator Noo Okereke and spy Meiko Ogawa join forces with police chief Toiwa to investigate - and discover clues that point disturbingly toward a threat humanity thought they had escaped.
A threat that could destroy Ileri and spark an interplanetary war... unless the disparate team can work together to solve the mystery.
448 pages, Paperback
First published July 20, 2021
21 people are currently reading
442 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
April 12, 2021
Golden Girls meets The Expanse with a side of Babylon Five.
So that's the tag line that grabbed my attention on Netgalley and I think it delivered. That it's set on a space station was what sealed the deal for my wanting to read this.
I won't give any spoilers but I can say that between the murder mystery thread and the wider political conspiracy intrigue, I don't know which part I enjoyed most. I don't think I've ever read a story that had the main protagonists in this circumstance as what we now consider senior citizens. I liked that perspective and found it very cool. That the main investigators were working with decades of experience and life behind them seemed to inform their actions and made for a richer telling. I also liked that the young one was in her forties and she was the one who while, strong and very good at her job (she totally held her own and I quite liked her), sometimes chaffed running up against the experience of those ahead of her.
The station was described in vivid detail and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. That there are other stations mentioned had me hoping this is a series or duology so that maybe some time can be spent on those as there are said to be differences. I enjoyed reading about the technology and none of it seemed impossible and made this feel grounded in the possible world we inhabit. I'm interested. The political tensions and the larger Commonwealth situation seemed to open the story to more as well.
I'd read another by Appel and hopefully in this universe.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.
So that's the tag line that grabbed my attention on Netgalley and I think it delivered. That it's set on a space station was what sealed the deal for my wanting to read this.
I won't give any spoilers but I can say that between the murder mystery thread and the wider political conspiracy intrigue, I don't know which part I enjoyed most. I don't think I've ever read a story that had the main protagonists in this circumstance as what we now consider senior citizens. I liked that perspective and found it very cool. That the main investigators were working with decades of experience and life behind them seemed to inform their actions and made for a richer telling. I also liked that the young one was in her forties and she was the one who while, strong and very good at her job (she totally held her own and I quite liked her), sometimes chaffed running up against the experience of those ahead of her.
The station was described in vivid detail and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. That there are other stations mentioned had me hoping this is a series or duology so that maybe some time can be spent on those as there are said to be differences. I enjoyed reading about the technology and none of it seemed impossible and made this feel grounded in the possible world we inhabit. I'm interested. The political tensions and the larger Commonwealth situation seemed to open the story to more as well.
I'd read another by Appel and hopefully in this universe.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.
Read
May 25, 2023This space opera starts off with a murder mystery, and widens into a political situations with increasingly important stakes. The pacing is brisk to fast, with plenty of action--and at the heart of pretty much all the action are a bunch of ass-kicking seniors in their sixties. The main villain was obvious from the gitgo, but there is plenty of space for shades of gray, and a couple of surprises. (No spoilers--it's so much more fun not to know what's ahead.)
I really, really enjoyed this book. The narrative voice is fun and vivid, the diversity is awesome, and there is enough resolution to be satisfying, while leaving very, very tempting threads for what I really hope will be future volumes.
Copy provided by NetGalley
I really, really enjoyed this book. The narrative voice is fun and vivid, the diversity is awesome, and there is enough resolution to be satisfying, while leaving very, very tempting threads for what I really hope will be future volumes.
Copy provided by NetGalley
Read
April 18, 2021ASSASSIN'S ORBIT is a fast-paced debut novel filled with interesting, well-developed characters and super cool sci-fi technology that really kept me turning the pages. Perfect for anyone who likes a side helping of spy thriller with their science fiction.
It's also great if you like more mature (Read: older) main characters (I say plural, because it's told from multiple points of view). It's set mostly on a station at the top of a space elevator, which isn't something I've seen before but have always wanted to.
It's also great if you like more mature (Read: older) main characters (I say plural, because it's told from multiple points of view). It's set mostly on a station at the top of a space elevator, which isn't something I've seen before but have always wanted to.
May 12, 2021
A space-opera thriller full of politics, intrigue, and action in a vivid, diverse, complicated future society. I'm not sure when I last read a sci-fi novel with multiple older (i.e. middle-aged) women as main characters, but I adore these bad-ass ladies who take no crap from anyone. The world clearly needs more books like this.
October 4, 2021
Thanks a lot to Rebellion Publishing for sending me an arc of this book!
Assassin's Orbit is a new space opera that comes to the game with great politics but with maybe not a great execution.
I'm one of those that loves political intrigue in her books, so when I read the tagline of this, being The Expanse meets Golden Girls, I was hooked. And I have to say that it doesn't dissapoint but it may be too much sometimes.
The books stars off great, we have a political murder and there's almost mayhem going on. So we are going to follow a good chunk of characters trying to maneuver thru all of this.
Though I found Assassin's Orbit quite enjoyable I have to say that with it being a standalone, it misses some of the stakes that could come from a trilogy or even a duology. By this I mean, the great spect of things is missed sometimes, due to the fact that we are not really attach to the different factions or really invested on the politics of this world.
Will I read more from this author? Sure, but I leave this one being a little underwhelmed probably because of my own expectations.
Assassin's Orbit is a new space opera that comes to the game with great politics but with maybe not a great execution.
I'm one of those that loves political intrigue in her books, so when I read the tagline of this, being The Expanse meets Golden Girls, I was hooked. And I have to say that it doesn't dissapoint but it may be too much sometimes.
The books stars off great, we have a political murder and there's almost mayhem going on. So we are going to follow a good chunk of characters trying to maneuver thru all of this.
Though I found Assassin's Orbit quite enjoyable I have to say that with it being a standalone, it misses some of the stakes that could come from a trilogy or even a duology. By this I mean, the great spect of things is missed sometimes, due to the fact that we are not really attach to the different factions or really invested on the politics of this world.
Will I read more from this author? Sure, but I leave this one being a little underwhelmed probably because of my own expectations.
June 16, 2023
Sherwood Smith's review prompted me to read the book, and hers is the one to read first: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Excerpt:
"This space opera starts off with a murder mystery, and widens into a political situations with increasingly important stakes. The pacing is brisk to fast, with plenty of action--and at the heart of pretty much all the action are a bunch of ass-kicking seniors in their sixties. The main villain was obvious from the gitgo, but there is plenty of space for shades of gray, and a couple of surprises. . . ."
I enjoyed the book too, and I share her hope that the author returns to his neat new universe for more stories. The book has some first-novel rough spots, but the only tic that bothered me was his preference for South Asian character names, which made it harder for me to keep track of the characters. Minor problem, and likely just me. 4 star book, recommended reading.
Excerpt:
"This space opera starts off with a murder mystery, and widens into a political situations with increasingly important stakes. The pacing is brisk to fast, with plenty of action--and at the heart of pretty much all the action are a bunch of ass-kicking seniors in their sixties. The main villain was obvious from the gitgo, but there is plenty of space for shades of gray, and a couple of surprises. . . ."
I enjoyed the book too, and I share her hope that the author returns to his neat new universe for more stories. The book has some first-novel rough spots, but the only tic that bothered me was his preference for South Asian character names, which made it harder for me to keep track of the characters. Minor problem, and likely just me. 4 star book, recommended reading.
April 8, 2021
This is a really great book, absolutely loved it! Delightful that most of the main characters are in their 60s, with all the baggage and wisdom that can come with that. Even the younger characters are mature. This starts out as a murder investigation set on a space station, but evolves into a very complicated political situation involving three different governments and an insurgent group. There are a lot of viewpoints to follow, and each is presented with a lot of sophistication and nuance. There are police, military, government, criminal, and private citizen viewpoints to keep straight. Just about every person in a position of authority or power is a woman or non-binary person, but in a very matter-of-fact way. I can't think of a single character described as white. There's a reason for this, several centuries prior a limited number of people having escaped Earth via space elevators at various points along the equator. The conflict that led to that is explored enough to not be a gaping hole, but as this story evolves it becomes clear it's not over yet, which opens the door to a sequel I hope is in the works!
March 30, 2021
Now that tagline dragged me in...
This was absolutely fantastic. It was space opera at its finest and I loved it.
The story moved along at a great pace, meaning this was a un-put-downable and the action was effortless and a credit to the writer as I really visualised what was happening.. I just kept thinking 'one more page' and before I knew it, I was finished! (I travel a lot for work). I love wormholes, space, snark, wit, and tech-light scifi so absolutely brilliant for me.
The characterisation was a little light, but I felt that suited the novel and the pace. If I wanted heavily nuanced characters I would look to read something that wasn't Golden Girls meets The Expanse with a side of Babylon Five!!! All three of those shows had great characters, but they were so much more: politics, communities, worlds, social issues, grit, the works and I felt that this book offered everything in an easy-to-digest format.
This is unique. The older main cast of characters is just so refreshing and I want more.
Thank you Netgalley/John/Rebellion
This was absolutely fantastic. It was space opera at its finest and I loved it.
The story moved along at a great pace, meaning this was a un-put-downable and the action was effortless and a credit to the writer as I really visualised what was happening.. I just kept thinking 'one more page' and before I knew it, I was finished! (I travel a lot for work). I love wormholes, space, snark, wit, and tech-light scifi so absolutely brilliant for me.
The characterisation was a little light, but I felt that suited the novel and the pace. If I wanted heavily nuanced characters I would look to read something that wasn't Golden Girls meets The Expanse with a side of Babylon Five!!! All three of those shows had great characters, but they were so much more: politics, communities, worlds, social issues, grit, the works and I felt that this book offered everything in an easy-to-digest format.
This is unique. The older main cast of characters is just so refreshing and I want more.
Thank you Netgalley/John/Rebellion
December 29, 2021
With a large array of characters and a slow burn of political intrigue, Assassin’s Orbit by John Appel is a workout for the mind. Starting with a pair of investigator type officers who are first on the scene of a shooting, the novel broadens to planets, space stations, and space shuttles. The mystery of the killer and reason for the murders spans a set up for a new world filled with hidden politics. However, the large amount of characters was difficult for me to keep handy in my mind. The author uses first or last names as identification, so I suggest creating a list as the reader goes through the book. For me there was a lot of flipping back to see who was who. I most enjoyed the action sequences in this novel. There were chases, shuttles crashes and even hand to hand fighting which were written like a thriller. The use of tech is so fun too. Appel employs virtual reality, military tech and a lot of futuristic description that I love to read. It took a while for all the puzzle pieces to be explained, but by about 35% into the ebook it begins to really flow. I appreciate that there was not a lot of “fluff” dialogue or descriptions added. This reader would love to see a sequel done, to see how the world pans out since so many changes took place at the end of this story. I recommend this book for science fiction readers that like political thrillers and space opera type reads. Thank you to NetGalley for a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2021
There is a lot to love in this debut science fiction thriller novel. The pacing is fast, and the mystery thriller aspects of the story are written with a satisfying amount of suspense and intrigue. There is also a whole lot of diverse characters in this novel. All the characters are people of color, and there is even a characters with ze/zer pronouns. The three main characters are all older women as well. I think it was great to see older women in the roles of action-based protagonists.There were a lot of interesting science fiction ideas explored.
There are a couple of elements that could have used more time and explanation. There were too many important characters to follow without enough time differentiating their personality from the others. It was difficult to tell the characters apart beyond the main three that stand out. The setting could have been described in more detail to get a sense of place. I knew that the story was taking place on Ileri and it had rings, but I didn't quite know where or what it was until toward the end of the book. There were unfamiliar science fiction ideas and names given without enough explanation to perfectly follow what was happening. However, things begin to clear up by the end of the novel.
Overall, Assassin's Orbit is a good debut novel with a wonderful mystery thriller story line and a very diverse cast of characters. With more descriptions, information, and explanations this could have been a perfect book.
There are a couple of elements that could have used more time and explanation. There were too many important characters to follow without enough time differentiating their personality from the others. It was difficult to tell the characters apart beyond the main three that stand out. The setting could have been described in more detail to get a sense of place. I knew that the story was taking place on Ileri and it had rings, but I didn't quite know where or what it was until toward the end of the book. There were unfamiliar science fiction ideas and names given without enough explanation to perfectly follow what was happening. However, things begin to clear up by the end of the novel.
Overall, Assassin's Orbit is a good debut novel with a wonderful mystery thriller story line and a very diverse cast of characters. With more descriptions, information, and explanations this could have been a perfect book.
February 20, 2022
This wasn't unfortunately for me. It sounded much more like a mystery set in a space station than as if science fiction was its main genre. It had indeed a slow beginning with an investigation like the first book of The Expanse series.
The premise was interesting but the detailed descriptions, the slow plot development and the writing style didn't keep me hooked enough. I believe this book will be much more interesting for mystery fans or people who liked the Expanse series slow development.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The premise was interesting but the detailed descriptions, the slow plot development and the writing style didn't keep me hooked enough. I believe this book will be much more interesting for mystery fans or people who liked the Expanse series slow development.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2022
This is an intense and action-packed sci-fi adventure novel, and I enjoyed it a lot.
The tagline probably got a lot of people's attention ("Golden Girls meets The Expanse with a side of Babylon Five") and I don't think it's accurate. The only thing it has in common with The Golden Girls is that most of the major characters are older women. The youngest is in her 40s and most are over 60. There's no real humor except (very rarely) a sardonic line here or there - which is fine, it's not that kind of book. But if you're looking for a cozy read with a heavy focus on friendship, or anything in the realm of comedy, this is not that book! It's action-focused, with a lot of political intrigue. The characters are definitely interesting people, but it isn't a character-driven story. There's almost no one-on-one interpersonal drama of any kind. There are some nice friendship moments as the story progresses, and a very light romantic side plot, but neither of those are given too much attention.
I'm not too familiar with The Expanse, having only read the first book, but this book didn't feel too much like that one. I do see the influence of Babylon Five, though. There are a lot of important characters and several important factions, all with different motivations and goals. Some of the battle scenes also reminded me strongly of Battlestar Galactica (2004). I also see the author has written a Shadowrun campaign and that definitely makes sense, because Shadowrun was in my mind during certain moments (there isn't anything fantasy-oriented going on, though).
The premise: a few centuries before the story begins, humans had to flee Earth and founded colonies on extra-solar planets. These colonies are loosely linked to current cultures, and all of the action in this book takes place in Ileri space, where people's ancestors are from Nigeria (again, loosely). And there's trouble on the station, beginning with a massacre. Somehow, I thought this would be a mystery novel with a sci-fi setting; while the characters do solve the mystery over the course of the story, the situation surrounding it is more important than the actual crime. I found that plot thread a little unsatisfying, although you do learn who did it and why.
There really are a lot of major characters, enough that it was difficult to keep track of them. The point-of-view characters are all multifaceted people with strengths and flaws. Their main common trait is competence in their fields. I had the most affection for Noo, a private investigator in her 60s. She seems like the main character (although the book does not really have one). Her motivations were clear and easiest for me to understand. I very much appreciated that all of these characters are competent and tough and some are like action-movie heroines, but the author also allows them to be vulnerable without ever writing them as weak. Their hands shake from adrenaline overload, their muscles ache after fights, and so on, yet I never thought they were about to fall apart. It read as realistic to me.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but certain aspects of it were challenging for me. The worldbuilding is very good, but somewhat complicated. There are a lot of action scenes, and they're exciting, but this amount of action scenes is not really to my taste as a reader. All of the point-of-view characters are important and I see how everything contributed to the whole, but there are just so many. It took me a few minutes every time to reorient myself for the different characters' chapters or sections.
A note on lgbtq+ rep, since people here have shelved the book that way: this is a book with a queer-inclusive setting rather than one with a focus on lgbtq+ rep. All rep is incidental and feels very casual. I liked this, and it's definitely pleasant to imagine.
The tagline probably got a lot of people's attention ("Golden Girls meets The Expanse with a side of Babylon Five") and I don't think it's accurate. The only thing it has in common with The Golden Girls is that most of the major characters are older women. The youngest is in her 40s and most are over 60. There's no real humor except (very rarely) a sardonic line here or there - which is fine, it's not that kind of book. But if you're looking for a cozy read with a heavy focus on friendship, or anything in the realm of comedy, this is not that book! It's action-focused, with a lot of political intrigue. The characters are definitely interesting people, but it isn't a character-driven story. There's almost no one-on-one interpersonal drama of any kind. There are some nice friendship moments as the story progresses, and a very light romantic side plot, but neither of those are given too much attention.
I'm not too familiar with The Expanse, having only read the first book, but this book didn't feel too much like that one. I do see the influence of Babylon Five, though. There are a lot of important characters and several important factions, all with different motivations and goals. Some of the battle scenes also reminded me strongly of Battlestar Galactica (2004). I also see the author has written a Shadowrun campaign and that definitely makes sense, because Shadowrun was in my mind during certain moments (there isn't anything fantasy-oriented going on, though).
The premise: a few centuries before the story begins, humans had to flee Earth and founded colonies on extra-solar planets. These colonies are loosely linked to current cultures, and all of the action in this book takes place in Ileri space, where people's ancestors are from Nigeria (again, loosely). And there's trouble on the station, beginning with a massacre. Somehow, I thought this would be a mystery novel with a sci-fi setting; while the characters do solve the mystery over the course of the story, the situation surrounding it is more important than the actual crime. I found that plot thread a little unsatisfying, although you do learn who did it and why.
There really are a lot of major characters, enough that it was difficult to keep track of them. The point-of-view characters are all multifaceted people with strengths and flaws. Their main common trait is competence in their fields. I had the most affection for Noo, a private investigator in her 60s. She seems like the main character (although the book does not really have one). Her motivations were clear and easiest for me to understand. I very much appreciated that all of these characters are competent and tough and some are like action-movie heroines, but the author also allows them to be vulnerable without ever writing them as weak. Their hands shake from adrenaline overload, their muscles ache after fights, and so on, yet I never thought they were about to fall apart. It read as realistic to me.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but certain aspects of it were challenging for me. The worldbuilding is very good, but somewhat complicated. There are a lot of action scenes, and they're exciting, but this amount of action scenes is not really to my taste as a reader. All of the point-of-view characters are important and I see how everything contributed to the whole, but there are just so many. It took me a few minutes every time to reorient myself for the different characters' chapters or sections.
A note on lgbtq+ rep, since people here have shelved the book that way: this is a book with a queer-inclusive setting rather than one with a focus on lgbtq+ rep. All rep is incidental and feels very casual. I liked this, and it's definitely pleasant to imagine.
August 3, 2021
**I was provided with an ARC through the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, gun violence, mass murder, blood, gore, death, vomiting, vehicle accident
Assassin’s Orbit begins with the discovery of a mass murder on a space station which sets up an action-packed investigation with a police chief on the station, a private investigator with personal connections to one of the victims, and an external government spy joining forces to get to the bottom of the situation.
Now the synopsis and opening alludes the story to be a murder mystery but this was very much a suspenseful sci-fi thriller packed with political tensions and action every other page - less of a “who dunnit” and more of a chase to see what was going to happen next.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding, predominantly the technology and discovering the history of this future universe Appel has imagined. It was also really refreshing to see that the leading protagonists were all middle aged!
The action was incredibly written (albeit sometimes the terminology threw me and can be pretty much summed up by this quote from the book – “One truism of space combat is that everyone can see what’s going on, but very few can understand what’s happening.”) but I did feel that because the action was genuinely non-stop it made the plot drag out a little too much. Furthermore there was less attention to individual characters and their development too so they started to fall a little flat for me by the end. And the sheer number of characters that were in this story and the fact there was so much alternation between their forenames or surnames being used depending on who was narrating got a little confusing as well.
All in all though this was an entertaining read and having enjoyed the overarching story and the writing I look forward to reading what Appel puts out next!
Final Rating – 3.5/5 Stars
CW: violence, gun violence, mass murder, blood, gore, death, vomiting, vehicle accident
Assassin’s Orbit begins with the discovery of a mass murder on a space station which sets up an action-packed investigation with a police chief on the station, a private investigator with personal connections to one of the victims, and an external government spy joining forces to get to the bottom of the situation.
Now the synopsis and opening alludes the story to be a murder mystery but this was very much a suspenseful sci-fi thriller packed with political tensions and action every other page - less of a “who dunnit” and more of a chase to see what was going to happen next.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding, predominantly the technology and discovering the history of this future universe Appel has imagined. It was also really refreshing to see that the leading protagonists were all middle aged!
The action was incredibly written (albeit sometimes the terminology threw me and can be pretty much summed up by this quote from the book – “One truism of space combat is that everyone can see what’s going on, but very few can understand what’s happening.”) but I did feel that because the action was genuinely non-stop it made the plot drag out a little too much. Furthermore there was less attention to individual characters and their development too so they started to fall a little flat for me by the end. And the sheer number of characters that were in this story and the fact there was so much alternation between their forenames or surnames being used depending on who was narrating got a little confusing as well.
All in all though this was an entertaining read and having enjoyed the overarching story and the writing I look forward to reading what Appel puts out next!
Final Rating – 3.5/5 Stars
August 15, 2021
“Murder forces unlikely allies.”
When I saw the plot advertised (see quote above) as the search for an assassin on a space station with interplanetary consequences, some of my favourite science fiction stories came to mind, I was thinking Binti and Illuminae meets the Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. That was partly my mistake.
I came in expecting a very different plotline and struggled to get into the rhythm and context of the book. However, it was not helped by the lack of introduction, or at least that’s how it felt. The books starts action packed and fast paced but I had to constantly reread pages to get an idea what was going on. It felt like I was a tourist in this amazing new place that was busy and colourful and full of life, and I had no guidebook. Without really understanding a lot of what was going on, I was less invested in the characters and the overall plot.
Yet, I can appreciate this expansive world-building and it was great to see older women kicking ass and running the show. It also had a diverse cast, and I could see Appel had drawn inspiration from a range of cultures and places which I loved. I just couldn’t connect because they would mention technology and settings and I couldn’t picture it. I wouldn’t recommend this book for mainly that reason, I think there are better space opera’s to dig your teeth into.
Thank you so much Net Galley for the ARC.
When I saw the plot advertised (see quote above) as the search for an assassin on a space station with interplanetary consequences, some of my favourite science fiction stories came to mind, I was thinking Binti and Illuminae meets the Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. That was partly my mistake.
I came in expecting a very different plotline and struggled to get into the rhythm and context of the book. However, it was not helped by the lack of introduction, or at least that’s how it felt. The books starts action packed and fast paced but I had to constantly reread pages to get an idea what was going on. It felt like I was a tourist in this amazing new place that was busy and colourful and full of life, and I had no guidebook. Without really understanding a lot of what was going on, I was less invested in the characters and the overall plot.
Yet, I can appreciate this expansive world-building and it was great to see older women kicking ass and running the show. It also had a diverse cast, and I could see Appel had drawn inspiration from a range of cultures and places which I loved. I just couldn’t connect because they would mention technology and settings and I couldn’t picture it. I wouldn’t recommend this book for mainly that reason, I think there are better space opera’s to dig your teeth into.
Thank you so much Net Galley for the ARC.
June 20, 2021
Spacey spy thriller with politics, intrigue and murder! Definitely a fun read, but was a little slow paced for me, I also found some of the language choices tricky to get my head around which is more about my memory for unique names rather than an issue with the writing. Definitely a great read for anyone who enjoys twisty space stories with strong detective/policing elements. Desperate for the fancy techy coat that changes style at the push of a button!
June 1, 2021
I whizzed through the last 50% because the action just never stopped!
The world-building is excellent and there is a lot of tech and ideas to get your head around as you go. More than that, there is a large cast of characters and I loved the fact they were all 16 to 25 - but older, aged, and still kick-ass!
The world-building is excellent and there is a lot of tech and ideas to get your head around as you go. More than that, there is a large cast of characters and I loved the fact they were all 16 to 25 - but older, aged, and still kick-ass!
June 9, 2021
The mark of a really good book is that you don't want to put it down and you don't want to finish it. That's how I felt about Assassin's Orbit, which I gather is John Appel's debut novel. It covers a lot of ground, starting on a space station with a mass murder which includes high-ranked politicians and business types, moving to the planet's surface as investigators track their suspects, and off into near space as some excellently plotted space war erupts.
There's a lot going on here, and a large-ish cast of characters, all human, but very diverse, partly owing to the nature of the human diaspora hinted at early in the book and fleshed out towards the end. Suffice to say that a broad range of cultures predominates, but they're all from the warmer places on Earth, whose fate isn't totally clear but it's probably not anywhere you'd want to be. The other aspect of diversity is that the cast is very multi-generational, and yes, a number of the main characters are women in their 60s. But some are younger, and a few are older and they're all terrific.
There are two issues I do have with the novel, the first being that I had trouble keeping the characters straight, owing to a few of them having names that to me western trained eye looked similar and that the author switched back and forth between using their first and last names to describe of address them. By the time I was done I had the hang of it, but there was a bit of hanging on, and hoping I had it right in the meantime.
More critically I had issues with the publisher's choices. The cover did not sell the book to me at all, coming off as an unappealing flip on the 2001 star child movie poster, whose main idea appears to have been to show that a person of color was in the book. Worse, to me, was their framing that the book is "Golden Girls meets The Expanse with a side of Babylon Five," which is just weird. Not because there aren't older women in the mix or that it takes place partly on a space station, but because the feel of the book is nothing like either. The Expanse reference is on target though.
Assassin's Orbit is part police procedural, part geo-politics (both civil and interplanetary,) part spacewar, and part spy novel. All of which work together to form a really terrific space opera. If you're looking for a simple plot with one or two main characters, this may put you off a bit, but if you're looking for more than just a shoot-em-up in space (and there's plenty of that here) this is an intelligent and impressive debut.
The story wraps up nicely, but the epilogue signals that there's a next book, which I'm looking forward to.
There's a lot going on here, and a large-ish cast of characters, all human, but very diverse, partly owing to the nature of the human diaspora hinted at early in the book and fleshed out towards the end. Suffice to say that a broad range of cultures predominates, but they're all from the warmer places on Earth, whose fate isn't totally clear but it's probably not anywhere you'd want to be. The other aspect of diversity is that the cast is very multi-generational, and yes, a number of the main characters are women in their 60s. But some are younger, and a few are older and they're all terrific.
There are two issues I do have with the novel, the first being that I had trouble keeping the characters straight, owing to a few of them having names that to me western trained eye looked similar and that the author switched back and forth between using their first and last names to describe of address them. By the time I was done I had the hang of it, but there was a bit of hanging on, and hoping I had it right in the meantime.
More critically I had issues with the publisher's choices. The cover did not sell the book to me at all, coming off as an unappealing flip on the 2001 star child movie poster, whose main idea appears to have been to show that a person of color was in the book. Worse, to me, was their framing that the book is "Golden Girls meets The Expanse with a side of Babylon Five," which is just weird. Not because there aren't older women in the mix or that it takes place partly on a space station, but because the feel of the book is nothing like either. The Expanse reference is on target though.
Assassin's Orbit is part police procedural, part geo-politics (both civil and interplanetary,) part spacewar, and part spy novel. All of which work together to form a really terrific space opera. If you're looking for a simple plot with one or two main characters, this may put you off a bit, but if you're looking for more than just a shoot-em-up in space (and there's plenty of that here) this is an intelligent and impressive debut.
The story wraps up nicely, but the epilogue signals that there's a next book, which I'm looking forward to.
April 25, 2021
Reading the NetGalley eARC. This is my honest review.
I'm stopping at 33%, due to disinterest. Yet another point of view character has shown up, and I... don't care.
While I really like that a variety of humans fled an infected Earth, I'm getting lost recalling who is who, and why I should care. Other readers will enjoy this one, I'm sure. It just isn't my kind of story-telling.
I'm stopping at 33%, due to disinterest. Yet another point of view character has shown up, and I... don't care.
While I really like that a variety of humans fled an infected Earth, I'm getting lost recalling who is who, and why I should care. Other readers will enjoy this one, I'm sure. It just isn't my kind of story-telling.
April 6, 2021
Short review due to my disabilities.
this was a fun read. It had everything I wanted in my space opera = humour, high stakes, fast pace, quick read, and a warm comfy feeling. I particularly enjoyed the older cast of characters and hope the author continues to develop this world with more novels.
this was a fun read. It had everything I wanted in my space opera = humour, high stakes, fast pace, quick read, and a warm comfy feeling. I particularly enjoyed the older cast of characters and hope the author continues to develop this world with more novels.
April 11, 2021
This is strong on story than characters, but still enjoyable. This felt a little different than the typical sci-fi story. It's a fairly light read and the older characters give a different flavor. I think a lot of sci-fi fans will like this one.
Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!
Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!
July 22, 2021
7/21/2021 3.5 stars rounded up. Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
7/22/2021 Gosh, I'm at the point in my life where I really wish we had a better comparison for books featuring older female heroes than The Golden Girls. Nothing against the classic sitcom, but literally the only similarity Assassin's Orbit has with TGG is that the main characters are feisty older women. That's definitely a draw for readers like me, but if you're coming here expecting laughs and feel-good sitcom moments, oh boy, are you in for a surprise.
Which isn't at all a knock on this book: it's just that hilarity isn't what AO is about. Tonally, it feels a lot more like The Expanse, as various players are drawn together to uncover a deadly conspiracy against the backdrop of interplanetary political maneuvering. Our main protagonist is Noo Okoreke, the sixty-ish head of Ileri Station's premiere security consulting firm. When Saed Tahir, the grandson of her business partner Fathya Shariff, is killed while serving as bodyguard to the Minister of External Trade in the lead up to unity talks with the powerful Commonwealth, Noo and Saed's sister Fari offer their services to Constabulary Commissioner Nnenna Toiwa in tracking down the clearly well-trained killers. With anti-Commonwealth riots instigated by the One World party a constant concern, the Constabulary is already spread pretty thin, especially since Nnenna has only recently overseen a purge of corrupt officers from within their ranks. Nnenna is too practical to refuse the help, especially since the Shariff Security firm has contacts with valuable information who would prefer to stay well off the Constabulary's radar.
Noo and Fari's investigations bring them to the rescue of Meiko Ogawa, a Commonwealth spy currently facing enforced retirement after being burned to both Ileri and Saljuan forces. She's set on finishing one last task, however, and teams up with Noo and Fari as they chase their common quarry planetside and into certain danger. But greater trouble is brewing on the Station than any of our heroes expect, as a Saljuan destroyer enters Ileri space and the One Worlders make their ultimate play.
There's a lot going on in this crunchy sci-fi tale of spies and intrigue, and it makes for a wholly engrossing, twisty read. I only wish it hadn't been so difficult to keep track of all the players. I'm usually pretty good with sprawling casts of characters, but John Appel has a habit of referencing them by either first or last name in different chapters -- like I get why he does it, but it's still pretty confusing, and doesn't help me learn or feel the characters very well. It also doesn't help that the names are Okoreke and Ogawa and Okafor, or that separate members of the Tahir family are each referred to as Tahir. It would be easier to differentiate characters if we weren't jumping from place to place amidst the chaos of running combat and insurrection and betrayal. It's certainly atmospheric, but I still have no idea when, for example, Maria Zheng was introduced or to which party she's attached (but I like her and I enjoyed her storyline, so that's something!)
What AO really does well tho is introduce a believable diversity of characters and cultures in a far-future society where a large cohort of humanity leapt away from Earth in order to escape a devastating plague. The predominant cultures are Nigerian, Indonesian and Brazilian, and it's so very refreshing to read (especially because my heart squeezed with happiness as a Malaysian whenever Mr Appel included something recognizably Nusantaran in his narrative.) In addition to having older heroines who kick butt and take names, Mr Appel also introduces the very badass Josephine Okafor, a network security specialist who's been blind from birth. This inclusive representation is flat-out brilliant, and exactly what I want in my contemporary reading.
The ending hints at a sequel, and I'm hoping Mr Appel works out some of the pacing/character introduction kinks in this first novel to present another terrific, if less confusing, story set in this universe. And hopefully by then we'll have a better comparison than a domestic sitcom for a group of entertaining older action heroines getting things done amidst murder and political intrigue.
Assassin's Orbit by John Appel was published July 20 2021 by Solaris and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
7/22/2021 Gosh, I'm at the point in my life where I really wish we had a better comparison for books featuring older female heroes than The Golden Girls. Nothing against the classic sitcom, but literally the only similarity Assassin's Orbit has with TGG is that the main characters are feisty older women. That's definitely a draw for readers like me, but if you're coming here expecting laughs and feel-good sitcom moments, oh boy, are you in for a surprise.
Which isn't at all a knock on this book: it's just that hilarity isn't what AO is about. Tonally, it feels a lot more like The Expanse, as various players are drawn together to uncover a deadly conspiracy against the backdrop of interplanetary political maneuvering. Our main protagonist is Noo Okoreke, the sixty-ish head of Ileri Station's premiere security consulting firm. When Saed Tahir, the grandson of her business partner Fathya Shariff, is killed while serving as bodyguard to the Minister of External Trade in the lead up to unity talks with the powerful Commonwealth, Noo and Saed's sister Fari offer their services to Constabulary Commissioner Nnenna Toiwa in tracking down the clearly well-trained killers. With anti-Commonwealth riots instigated by the One World party a constant concern, the Constabulary is already spread pretty thin, especially since Nnenna has only recently overseen a purge of corrupt officers from within their ranks. Nnenna is too practical to refuse the help, especially since the Shariff Security firm has contacts with valuable information who would prefer to stay well off the Constabulary's radar.
Noo and Fari's investigations bring them to the rescue of Meiko Ogawa, a Commonwealth spy currently facing enforced retirement after being burned to both Ileri and Saljuan forces. She's set on finishing one last task, however, and teams up with Noo and Fari as they chase their common quarry planetside and into certain danger. But greater trouble is brewing on the Station than any of our heroes expect, as a Saljuan destroyer enters Ileri space and the One Worlders make their ultimate play.
There's a lot going on in this crunchy sci-fi tale of spies and intrigue, and it makes for a wholly engrossing, twisty read. I only wish it hadn't been so difficult to keep track of all the players. I'm usually pretty good with sprawling casts of characters, but John Appel has a habit of referencing them by either first or last name in different chapters -- like I get why he does it, but it's still pretty confusing, and doesn't help me learn or feel the characters very well. It also doesn't help that the names are Okoreke and Ogawa and Okafor, or that separate members of the Tahir family are each referred to as Tahir. It would be easier to differentiate characters if we weren't jumping from place to place amidst the chaos of running combat and insurrection and betrayal. It's certainly atmospheric, but I still have no idea when, for example, Maria Zheng was introduced or to which party she's attached (but I like her and I enjoyed her storyline, so that's something!)
What AO really does well tho is introduce a believable diversity of characters and cultures in a far-future society where a large cohort of humanity leapt away from Earth in order to escape a devastating plague. The predominant cultures are Nigerian, Indonesian and Brazilian, and it's so very refreshing to read (especially because my heart squeezed with happiness as a Malaysian whenever Mr Appel included something recognizably Nusantaran in his narrative.) In addition to having older heroines who kick butt and take names, Mr Appel also introduces the very badass Josephine Okafor, a network security specialist who's been blind from birth. This inclusive representation is flat-out brilliant, and exactly what I want in my contemporary reading.
The ending hints at a sequel, and I'm hoping Mr Appel works out some of the pacing/character introduction kinks in this first novel to present another terrific, if less confusing, story set in this universe. And hopefully by then we'll have a better comparison than a domestic sitcom for a group of entertaining older action heroines getting things done amidst murder and political intrigue.
Assassin's Orbit by John Appel was published July 20 2021 by Solaris and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
July 17, 2021
I received this via NetGalley.
It’s described as “Golden Girls meets The Expanse with a side of Babylon 5”. I admit, that certainly grabbed my attention. I’ll come back to the tagline, because I’m going to assume that it was invented by a PR person, rather than the author.
The context: many humans fled Earth generations ago, and colonised various planets. The action here is split between a station above the planet Ileri, and the planet itself - which is about to decide whether to join a conglomeration of other planets, or stay neutral. The story opens with several murders, all of which seem to have happened to enable the assassination of one government minister. Investigating that crime kickstarts everything and introduces the key characters, in particular private investigator Noo Okereke. Political manoeuvring would make for a nicely complex story by itself but of course that's not enough - there's an even larger issue at play, which is gradually revealed.
I really enjoyed this novel. One of the key things that intrigued me were the characters: they're overwhelming female, and many of them are "older": they're not just out of school, or starting in their first jobs. Instead, Noo is a seasoned investigator; you can basically hear her going all "I'm too old for this shit". The spy is likewise an old hand, and the police chief is, well, just that - she's worked her way up the ranks. It was fantastic to have people - and let's be honest, women in particular - whose expertise makes sense because they've earned it, who can draw on experience and hard-won judgement, in order to make decisions. And who know when they're making a probably bad decision but are willing to go do it because sometimes it's the only choice you've got. And aside from affording them that expertise, their ages were largely irrelevant; it's basically not commented on by anyone. They're just... allowed to be competent.
The one thing that occasionally annoyed me was the pace - that it felt uneven. Sometimes it seemed to go slowly for no reason, and sometimes it sped up so that I'd (metaphorically) blink and huge things had happened. That made reading a bit of a chore sometimes.
OK. So. This tagline. Look, I can see why someone might think it was a good one - it’s catchy as heck. But it’s just not accurate. I can only assume that “Golden Girls” was the only example the person could think of that features "old" ladies actually doing stuff, which is a whole issue in and of itself. But GG was about four women living together, with some knowledge of each other, and it's centred on that idea of sharing each other's lives. That's just not how this novel works. There are two women who have worked together for years - but they barely interact in the novel. Older women are the focus of the action, and many of them come together throughout the story to work together. But that’s not GG. The Expanse? Well, only insofar as humans are off Earth and hanging out on other planets. But... no other aspect of The Expanse is present. And Babylon Five? Well, it's set on a space station, which this is also to a great extent; and there's a threat of war, but it's from other humans. So. Yeh. Tagline is deceptive.
This really is a fun and intriguing novel. Some clever ideas, generally fun characters, it doesn't drag (usually), complexity of plot matched with chases and explosions. No regrets reading it.
It’s described as “Golden Girls meets The Expanse with a side of Babylon 5”. I admit, that certainly grabbed my attention. I’ll come back to the tagline, because I’m going to assume that it was invented by a PR person, rather than the author.
The context: many humans fled Earth generations ago, and colonised various planets. The action here is split between a station above the planet Ileri, and the planet itself - which is about to decide whether to join a conglomeration of other planets, or stay neutral. The story opens with several murders, all of which seem to have happened to enable the assassination of one government minister. Investigating that crime kickstarts everything and introduces the key characters, in particular private investigator Noo Okereke. Political manoeuvring would make for a nicely complex story by itself but of course that's not enough - there's an even larger issue at play, which is gradually revealed.
I really enjoyed this novel. One of the key things that intrigued me were the characters: they're overwhelming female, and many of them are "older": they're not just out of school, or starting in their first jobs. Instead, Noo is a seasoned investigator; you can basically hear her going all "I'm too old for this shit". The spy is likewise an old hand, and the police chief is, well, just that - she's worked her way up the ranks. It was fantastic to have people - and let's be honest, women in particular - whose expertise makes sense because they've earned it, who can draw on experience and hard-won judgement, in order to make decisions. And who know when they're making a probably bad decision but are willing to go do it because sometimes it's the only choice you've got. And aside from affording them that expertise, their ages were largely irrelevant; it's basically not commented on by anyone. They're just... allowed to be competent.
The one thing that occasionally annoyed me was the pace - that it felt uneven. Sometimes it seemed to go slowly for no reason, and sometimes it sped up so that I'd (metaphorically) blink and huge things had happened. That made reading a bit of a chore sometimes.
OK. So. This tagline. Look, I can see why someone might think it was a good one - it’s catchy as heck. But it’s just not accurate. I can only assume that “Golden Girls” was the only example the person could think of that features "old" ladies actually doing stuff, which is a whole issue in and of itself. But GG was about four women living together, with some knowledge of each other, and it's centred on that idea of sharing each other's lives. That's just not how this novel works. There are two women who have worked together for years - but they barely interact in the novel. Older women are the focus of the action, and many of them come together throughout the story to work together. But that’s not GG. The Expanse? Well, only insofar as humans are off Earth and hanging out on other planets. But... no other aspect of The Expanse is present. And Babylon Five? Well, it's set on a space station, which this is also to a great extent; and there's a threat of war, but it's from other humans. So. Yeh. Tagline is deceptive.
This really is a fun and intriguing novel. Some clever ideas, generally fun characters, it doesn't drag (usually), complexity of plot matched with chases and explosions. No regrets reading it.
August 3, 2021
Assassin's Orbit is a mixture of space opera and detective/spy thriller which has a number of interesting wrinkles. Set in a future breakaway system of Earth settled planets (people escaping an AI based war), it sets up an intriguing political scenario, and unusually for the genre, a set of quite grizzled and long in the tooth heroines to try and solve the problems. Protagonist age is an interesting issue in science fiction, where often characters may be of artificially lengthened age spans and the writers just chalk a bit of extra experience up to them but never the pressures of old age. These characters aren't creaking, but they are looking at their future, the last promotion, or retirement. And what does job security look like when people live longer?
Its the only really notable feature of Assassin's Orbit, which otherwise plays its rebellion, revolution and counter revolution pretty much by the book. We have characters with varying loyalties who eventually pull int he same direction, and there is a secret at the heart of everything which feels like this is set-up for more in the series. That would be fine, and there is enough here to make me return, but I did find a lot of the middle section a minor slog and the characters - though initially defined pretty well, to slowly start to seep into each other. The strong last third unpicks this and so perhaps its just a matter of "stuff happening" to bridge setup and endgame.
Appel has set up an intriguing little universe here and i liked his choice of characters and where it was going, but if there are to be more books in this series (which is unclear), I would want to move further on to the hidden threat that is slowly uncovered here.
Its the only really notable feature of Assassin's Orbit, which otherwise plays its rebellion, revolution and counter revolution pretty much by the book. We have characters with varying loyalties who eventually pull int he same direction, and there is a secret at the heart of everything which feels like this is set-up for more in the series. That would be fine, and there is enough here to make me return, but I did find a lot of the middle section a minor slog and the characters - though initially defined pretty well, to slowly start to seep into each other. The strong last third unpicks this and so perhaps its just a matter of "stuff happening" to bridge setup and endgame.
Appel has set up an intriguing little universe here and i liked his choice of characters and where it was going, but if there are to be more books in this series (which is unclear), I would want to move further on to the hidden threat that is slowly uncovered here.
July 24, 2021
I was sent a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
2.75
I went into this thinking it would be a murder mystery in a sci-fi setting but it's actually more of a spy thriller. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it that much, but it was more me than the book.
However even though I didn't love it I can see that it is well written and that if you love spy thrillers with lots of action then this is the perfect book for you.
I loved that there were characters of different racial identities, sexualities, gender identities and disabilities. I also liked that a lot of them were older, I haven't read much sci-fi or fantasy with nearly exclusively older characters, but maybe it's because I've been reading so much YA lately.
The main problem I had was that I think there were too many characters with POVs and some I didn't think we really needed. I would have also had trouble telling them apart except for the headings and their surroundings, they seemed very similar. I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if there were less so I had more time to really get to know and care about the characters. Unfortunately I didn't really care for them, except Noo and Fari. I liked their relationship and enjoyed some of their interactions
I actually think I would enjoy a book about the origin of the Unity Plague and the exodus of Earth. That intrigued me a lot.
In the end this wasn't really for me but if you enjoy action thrillers involving spies and sci-fi then give this a go.
2.75
I went into this thinking it would be a murder mystery in a sci-fi setting but it's actually more of a spy thriller. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it that much, but it was more me than the book.
However even though I didn't love it I can see that it is well written and that if you love spy thrillers with lots of action then this is the perfect book for you.
I loved that there were characters of different racial identities, sexualities, gender identities and disabilities. I also liked that a lot of them were older, I haven't read much sci-fi or fantasy with nearly exclusively older characters, but maybe it's because I've been reading so much YA lately.
The main problem I had was that I think there were too many characters with POVs and some I didn't think we really needed. I would have also had trouble telling them apart except for the headings and their surroundings, they seemed very similar. I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if there were less so I had more time to really get to know and care about the characters. Unfortunately I didn't really care for them, except Noo and Fari. I liked their relationship and enjoyed some of their interactions
I actually think I would enjoy a book about the origin of the Unity Plague and the exodus of Earth. That intrigued me a lot.
In the end this wasn't really for me but if you enjoy action thrillers involving spies and sci-fi then give this a go.
November 15, 2021
This was an action-packed space opera/mystery/science fiction adventure. It starts out by investigating the murder of a group of people on a space station, and branches from there - we see politics, history, gangsters, and a kick-ass group of protagonists, many of which are in their 60s (and I absolutely loved that).
Some of my favorite things:
The action sequences! There was a fantastic zero-gee chase scene, a planetary vehicle chase, an evac-suited attack, a space battle, and more. They were all well described and exciting.
The age, wisdom and humor of the various characters.
The plot - there was twists and turns as we discover what is really going on.
The only thing I struggled a bit with was the fact that there were so many characters and sometimes I had trouble remembering who was who. If I had to start over, I'd make a list with notes.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, and to the author for the terrific story.
Some of my favorite things:
The action sequences! There was a fantastic zero-gee chase scene, a planetary vehicle chase, an evac-suited attack, a space battle, and more. They were all well described and exciting.
The age, wisdom and humor of the various characters.
The plot - there was twists and turns as we discover what is really going on.
The only thing I struggled a bit with was the fact that there were so many characters and sometimes I had trouble remembering who was who. If I had to start over, I'd make a list with notes.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, and to the author for the terrific story.
June 27, 2023
I did not know I needed a space mystery with 60 year old warrior women leading the charge. More please
September 13, 2024
Good story, sometimes the names got confusing. Also some of the motivations or goals were weak. 73/100
July 25, 2022
Cop drama on a space station with rapidly rising stakes exposed by events. High marks for plausible tech, cop-type procedures, and a female led cast with capable characters. A few too many characters for my taste, but that’s not a deal breaker. Would definitely dig into sequels
April 13, 2021
This year, I'm trying to read more science fiction, as my reading list has been overwhelmingly fantasy-based in recent years and I'd like to get more of an idea of what's going on in other parts of the SFF genre. As a result, Assassin's Orbit looked like it might be a good bet for a standalone science fiction novel to help with this.
The basic premise of the novel is that it's set in a universe inhabited by people who have fled from Earth through a one-way wormhole trip, fleeing particularly from a nanotech based virus (the Unity plague) that was being used to control the population en masse. Various cultures have inhabited and colonised their own planets in this new area, with a fierce interdict on such research being undertaken, as well as developing space stations - it's on one of those, Ileres, that the majority of our action takes place, starting with the killing of a government minister and a situation that rapidly unfolds from the investigation of that murder.
In general terms, the world-building of Assassin's Orbit is pretty good and the plot pushes on in a fairly relentless manner. I would probably have given it more than 3 stars if the characterisation had been equally as thorough. At one point, when I was about 20% through my first read of this book, I had to put it down for a few days and then, when I returned, I couldn't remember who any of the characters were. This is never a good sign. Other than 'get revenge' and 'not get myself killed', there didn't seem to be much going on in terms of character's motivations and I found myself not really giving much of a crap about anybody surviving this.
I get the feeling this is a first novel and, if that's the case, it's not bad but it's just not got the emotional hook to the characters that I need to care about them. That's something to work on for next time around, I think.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
The basic premise of the novel is that it's set in a universe inhabited by people who have fled from Earth through a one-way wormhole trip, fleeing particularly from a nanotech based virus (the Unity plague) that was being used to control the population en masse. Various cultures have inhabited and colonised their own planets in this new area, with a fierce interdict on such research being undertaken, as well as developing space stations - it's on one of those, Ileres, that the majority of our action takes place, starting with the killing of a government minister and a situation that rapidly unfolds from the investigation of that murder.
In general terms, the world-building of Assassin's Orbit is pretty good and the plot pushes on in a fairly relentless manner. I would probably have given it more than 3 stars if the characterisation had been equally as thorough. At one point, when I was about 20% through my first read of this book, I had to put it down for a few days and then, when I returned, I couldn't remember who any of the characters were. This is never a good sign. Other than 'get revenge' and 'not get myself killed', there didn't seem to be much going on in terms of character's motivations and I found myself not really giving much of a crap about anybody surviving this.
I get the feeling this is a first novel and, if that's the case, it's not bad but it's just not got the emotional hook to the characters that I need to care about them. That's something to work on for next time around, I think.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC
The setting was intriguing, so was the initial plot. However, characterization is very important to me and I wasn't able to connect with anyone in the book. There was no emotional involvement. I tried my best to push myself to finish but just couldn't! DNF-ing it at 33%
The setting was intriguing, so was the initial plot. However, characterization is very important to me and I wasn't able to connect with anyone in the book. There was no emotional involvement. I tried my best to push myself to finish but just couldn't! DNF-ing it at 33%
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews