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Arcana Imperii #1
Artifact Space
Out in the darkness of space, something is targeting the Greatships.
With their vast cargo holds and a crew that could fill a city, the Greatships are the lifeblood of human-occupied space, transporting an unimaginable volume - and value - of goods from City, the greatest human orbital, all the way to Tradepoint at the other, to trade for xenoglas with an unknowable alien species.
It has always been Marca Nbaro's dream to achieve the near-impossible: escape her upbringing and venture into space.
All it took, to make her way onto the crew of the Greatship Athens, was thousands of hours in simulators, dedication and pawning or selling every scrap of her old life in order to forge a new one. But though she's made her way onboard with faked papers, leaving her old life - and scandals - behind isn't so easy.
She may have just combined all the dangers of her former life, with all the perils of the new...
With their vast cargo holds and a crew that could fill a city, the Greatships are the lifeblood of human-occupied space, transporting an unimaginable volume - and value - of goods from City, the greatest human orbital, all the way to Tradepoint at the other, to trade for xenoglas with an unknowable alien species.
It has always been Marca Nbaro's dream to achieve the near-impossible: escape her upbringing and venture into space.
All it took, to make her way onto the crew of the Greatship Athens, was thousands of hours in simulators, dedication and pawning or selling every scrap of her old life in order to forge a new one. But though she's made her way onboard with faked papers, leaving her old life - and scandals - behind isn't so easy.
She may have just combined all the dangers of her former life, with all the perils of the new...
578 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2021
513 people are currently reading
8066 people want to read
About the author
Miles Cameron
31 books2,713 followersMiles Cameron is an author, a re-enactor, an outdoors expert and a weapons specialist. He lives, works and writes in Toronto, where he lives with his family. This is his debut fantasy novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 556 reviews
May 25, 2021
I sometimes think every writer of military science fiction is secretly (some not so secretly) trying to write Horatio Hornblower in space. That would be terrific for me as a reader, since I loved the Horatio Hornblower stories of daring, honour, valour, and ingenuity overcoming adversity rather than brute force. Alas, I've never really found a science fiction series that gave me those same Hornblower vibes while offering a believable and intriguing context in which those adventures could take place.
Until now.
Artifact Space is what fans of Star Trek the Next Generation who've longed for something updated and more reflective of a diverse human society yet still holds to that same core of optimism and idealism about human beings have been waiting for. It's filled with intriguing space ship troubles, conflicts large and small, the spirit of camaraderie one would hope we'd achieve when going into space, and yet with all the intricacies of our human foibles intact rather than glossed over.
The story centres on Marca Nbaro, a new midshipper on the Greatship Athens – a massive space faring vessel run not by a purely benevolent government but by a consortium of business interests inspired (one suspects) by Venetian mercantile culture. Marca has a troubled past, and the things she's had to do to get a position on the Athens frequently leave her vulnerable to those out to get her. But she also finds friends aboard the ship, and a growing sense of purpose even as the near-calamitous situations she winds up in reveal her strengths.
Because I'm not a frequent reader of sci-fi (not because I don't like the genre but because I often don't quite get it due to my own ineptitude), I often find myself shunted out of a book because the science is either so sparse as to be magic or so lovingly rendered as to be a textbook about things that don't work in the real world. Kind of like when you read a fantasy novel with four thousand houses, countries, shires, and whatever else and realize you've just memorized a history that won't actually help you at all in your daily life. Artifact Space manages to find a path for the reader in which the science of space travel is balanced against an equally enticing and complex culture and economy. Yes, I meant that: the economics are actually interesting here. More importantly, Cameron never piles on so much at once that you find yourself lost amidst figures and facts about either space travel or the intricate human culture that's achieved it.
Another aspect of Artifact Space I enjoyed was that – as one would expect on a massive ship hurtling through space – the book is somewhat episodic. It's not one long, drawn-out singular problem (though there is a mystery that threads the entire narrative), but more the ongoing adventures of Marca NBaro and the crew of the Greatship Athens. If that sounds like a pitch for this to be a television series, it is; I really, really want to see this as a TV show that sits somewhere between Star Trek the Next Generation and The Expanse.
Anyway, enough gushing. Let me grind my axe against the insufferably talented Miles Cameron here a moment by saying I wish he'd added a glossary and dramatis personae to the book. Every acronym, concept, and character is explained, but if you glide over those parts, you'll find yourself later wondering what the heck that term is they keep using every time they're referring to the organization they work for or the ones it competes against. However, if you're reading this review, then I can save you lots of trouble later on by advising that you pay close attention when terms and characters are introduced. Cameron doesn't drop stuff in for the hell of it – everything will be meaningful at some point in the story.
Artifact Space is the beginning of what I hope will be a huge series, rich in characters and the textures of a space faring society. For those like me who want to read sci-fi but often feel like an outsider looking in when picking up a science fiction novel, Artifact Space is a welcoming delight.
Until now.
Artifact Space is what fans of Star Trek the Next Generation who've longed for something updated and more reflective of a diverse human society yet still holds to that same core of optimism and idealism about human beings have been waiting for. It's filled with intriguing space ship troubles, conflicts large and small, the spirit of camaraderie one would hope we'd achieve when going into space, and yet with all the intricacies of our human foibles intact rather than glossed over.
The story centres on Marca Nbaro, a new midshipper on the Greatship Athens – a massive space faring vessel run not by a purely benevolent government but by a consortium of business interests inspired (one suspects) by Venetian mercantile culture. Marca has a troubled past, and the things she's had to do to get a position on the Athens frequently leave her vulnerable to those out to get her. But she also finds friends aboard the ship, and a growing sense of purpose even as the near-calamitous situations she winds up in reveal her strengths.
Because I'm not a frequent reader of sci-fi (not because I don't like the genre but because I often don't quite get it due to my own ineptitude), I often find myself shunted out of a book because the science is either so sparse as to be magic or so lovingly rendered as to be a textbook about things that don't work in the real world. Kind of like when you read a fantasy novel with four thousand houses, countries, shires, and whatever else and realize you've just memorized a history that won't actually help you at all in your daily life. Artifact Space manages to find a path for the reader in which the science of space travel is balanced against an equally enticing and complex culture and economy. Yes, I meant that: the economics are actually interesting here. More importantly, Cameron never piles on so much at once that you find yourself lost amidst figures and facts about either space travel or the intricate human culture that's achieved it.
Another aspect of Artifact Space I enjoyed was that – as one would expect on a massive ship hurtling through space – the book is somewhat episodic. It's not one long, drawn-out singular problem (though there is a mystery that threads the entire narrative), but more the ongoing adventures of Marca NBaro and the crew of the Greatship Athens. If that sounds like a pitch for this to be a television series, it is; I really, really want to see this as a TV show that sits somewhere between Star Trek the Next Generation and The Expanse.
Anyway, enough gushing. Let me grind my axe against the insufferably talented Miles Cameron here a moment by saying I wish he'd added a glossary and dramatis personae to the book. Every acronym, concept, and character is explained, but if you glide over those parts, you'll find yourself later wondering what the heck that term is they keep using every time they're referring to the organization they work for or the ones it competes against. However, if you're reading this review, then I can save you lots of trouble later on by advising that you pay close attention when terms and characters are introduced. Cameron doesn't drop stuff in for the hell of it – everything will be meaningful at some point in the story.
Artifact Space is the beginning of what I hope will be a huge series, rich in characters and the textures of a space faring society. For those like me who want to read sci-fi but often feel like an outsider looking in when picking up a science fiction novel, Artifact Space is a welcoming delight.
August 30, 2022
Hey, guess what? It turns out I can still read overly long books and enjoy them! I mean, it's not that amazing--I did read The Doors of Eden, right? But that was about a year ago, so it was actually a relief to realize this this ridiculously long space adventure was entertaining me every time I picked it up.
Artifact Space is an old-fashioned, Mary-Sue orphan-makes-good, updated for modern times. And you know what? I'm totally on board with that. How updated? Updated enough that a line like this made sense:
"It was very old-fashioned and bi-gendered, but in a romantic way, not a gender bias way – or perhaps its very antiquity caused her to forgive it."
Anyway, we first meet said orphan, Marca Nbaro, as she is masquerading as a new recruit on one of the few Greatships, a giant ship capable of traveling between stars that functions as a highly-protected trading ship. It is a great way to introduce a potential Mary Sue, giving them a bit of rule-bending grit to contrast the ethical sweetness.
"Most people can live without booze,’ Marca said. ‘But no one can go an hour without a rationalisation."
The story follows Marca and her adventures on the Greatship Athens. Cameron deftly begins with small, personal-level conflicts and gradually weaves in more ominous threads from deep state conspiracies to alien negotiations to the challenges of delayed communications in space. The Greatships are part AI and it's interesting to see how Cameron integrates both the potential benefits and weaknesses in warfare. This one has a penchant for appearing as a human petting a cat, and I honestly could not stop thinking of a Bond villain:
"A light went on over the co-pilot’s couch, and there, stretched full length, was a tall, skinny man with long, curly dark hair and a scarlet flightsuit. His nose was his most obvious feature, and if his appearance wasn’t enough to cause her to flinch, he had a cat on his chest. Nbaro could almost see through him, and gradually came to realise he was a holographic projection."
I suspect a little joking on Cameron's part; much of the story feels serious, but like the AI's hologram, there will be fun nods to tropes, humorous asides, or even reoccurring quests like obtaining cake from the officers' mess for friends.
Smith nodded. ‘Thanks.’ He tried on a smile, didn’t like it, and traded it for a more believable facial expression.
Cameron might have tried to pack too much stuff in here; there's a spot or two where I thought it went off the rails a bit. For the most part, however, I was 100% on board.
My recommendation comes with three caveats: one, you have to be okay with a seriously heroic protagonist. I know; it's the age of flawed heroism (which could be precisely why it works).
"Gunny says you saved everyone’s ass … or maybe you’re too wet behind the ears to know what you’re doing.’ Akunje’s grin was huge and infectious.
‘Yep,’ Marca said. ‘At least one of those things is definitely true."
Two, there's a definite military flavor throughout the book. It is, after all, a navy, and there are legitimate space battles. There's also detailed bits about flight paths and trajectories that I largely ignored. One of my friends noted Cameron had a tendency to go on about armor in one of his other books. So you probably have to either have a tolerance for armor and battle specifics, or the ability to read past. Guess which I did?
Third, and this would sometimes be a dealbreaker, but because of the sheer length and adventureness of the book as a whole, totally wasn't. Anyway, there's a Grand Canyon-level cliffhanger ending. Who knows when the next one is coming out? Not me.
I thought it was all completely worth it, because it's hard to find enjoyable, semi-realistic, fun sci-fi these days with cool women protagonists (hint: if the author describes the hero's violet eyes, it's probably not about the sci-fi). I'll venture to say that it reminds me just a bit of The Expanse, in that the events that our protagonist becomes caught up in have ramifications everywhere. And, it gives me a reason to read it again before the next installment comes out.
Artifact Space is an old-fashioned, Mary-Sue orphan-makes-good, updated for modern times. And you know what? I'm totally on board with that. How updated? Updated enough that a line like this made sense:
"It was very old-fashioned and bi-gendered, but in a romantic way, not a gender bias way – or perhaps its very antiquity caused her to forgive it."
Anyway, we first meet said orphan, Marca Nbaro, as she is masquerading as a new recruit on one of the few Greatships, a giant ship capable of traveling between stars that functions as a highly-protected trading ship. It is a great way to introduce a potential Mary Sue, giving them a bit of rule-bending grit to contrast the ethical sweetness.
"Most people can live without booze,’ Marca said. ‘But no one can go an hour without a rationalisation."
The story follows Marca and her adventures on the Greatship Athens. Cameron deftly begins with small, personal-level conflicts and gradually weaves in more ominous threads from deep state conspiracies to alien negotiations to the challenges of delayed communications in space. The Greatships are part AI and it's interesting to see how Cameron integrates both the potential benefits and weaknesses in warfare. This one has a penchant for appearing as a human petting a cat, and I honestly could not stop thinking of a Bond villain:
"A light went on over the co-pilot’s couch, and there, stretched full length, was a tall, skinny man with long, curly dark hair and a scarlet flightsuit. His nose was his most obvious feature, and if his appearance wasn’t enough to cause her to flinch, he had a cat on his chest. Nbaro could almost see through him, and gradually came to realise he was a holographic projection."
I suspect a little joking on Cameron's part; much of the story feels serious, but like the AI's hologram, there will be fun nods to tropes, humorous asides, or even reoccurring quests like obtaining cake from the officers' mess for friends.
Smith nodded. ‘Thanks.’ He tried on a smile, didn’t like it, and traded it for a more believable facial expression.
Cameron might have tried to pack too much stuff in here; there's a spot or two where I thought it went off the rails a bit. For the most part, however, I was 100% on board.
My recommendation comes with three caveats: one, you have to be okay with a seriously heroic protagonist. I know; it's the age of flawed heroism (which could be precisely why it works).
"Gunny says you saved everyone’s ass … or maybe you’re too wet behind the ears to know what you’re doing.’ Akunje’s grin was huge and infectious.
‘Yep,’ Marca said. ‘At least one of those things is definitely true."
Two, there's a definite military flavor throughout the book. It is, after all, a navy, and there are legitimate space battles. There's also detailed bits about flight paths and trajectories that I largely ignored. One of my friends noted Cameron had a tendency to go on about armor in one of his other books. So you probably have to either have a tolerance for armor and battle specifics, or the ability to read past. Guess which I did?
Third, and this would sometimes be a dealbreaker, but because of the sheer length and adventureness of the book as a whole, totally wasn't. Anyway, there's a Grand Canyon-level cliffhanger ending. Who knows when the next one is coming out? Not me.
I thought it was all completely worth it, because it's hard to find enjoyable, semi-realistic, fun sci-fi these days with cool women protagonists (hint: if the author describes the hero's violet eyes, it's probably not about the sci-fi). I'll venture to say that it reminds me just a bit of The Expanse, in that the events that our protagonist becomes caught up in have ramifications everywhere. And, it gives me a reason to read it again before the next installment comes out.
August 29, 2021
Interview with Miles Cameron talking about Artifact Space and more - The Brothers Gwynne
Finished Artifact Space, and it can be said that Miles Cameron does not just write fantasy well, or just historical fiction, or sci-fi, but can write all three with equal aplomb. From the beginning Christian/Miles Cameron brings his distinctive style to the table, yet slightly moulds it to fit well with his setting and characters.
We are thrown into a futuristic society, following the character Marca Nbaro, who joins one of the great ships destined for a trade point to collect xenoglas, a precious material that almost dominates society. But, she is a character with a traumatic past and suffers as a result, with no trust for those around her and a constant foreboding of being discovered and thrown out of her newfound home.
After finishing Artifact Space, I can say that Miles Cameron is a master of characters. The subtle hints to the context of characters, and their complex fluctuation of moods and idiosyncrasies is just wonderfully represented in the form of an array of personalities and circumstances, with the subtext of their past lending itself fantastically to the dialogue and the direction of their actions and the events that emerge as a consequence.
I am not widely read in the science fiction genre, but I can say with relative confidence that Miles Cameron has formed a unique and fresh setting with great detail within these pages, making you feel almost as if you actually are in space, and that you know now what it would be like to fly or be posted on a great ship. The detail is just crazy. Christian Cameron himself has said that one of his intentions is to immerse the reader, and in my opinion he has achieved that goal in Artifact Space.
To hear a short pitch of this sci-fi debut from Miles/Christian Cameron himself, to see if this is for you, you can click on a link here - The Brothers Gwynne
Finished Artifact Space, and it can be said that Miles Cameron does not just write fantasy well, or just historical fiction, or sci-fi, but can write all three with equal aplomb. From the beginning Christian/Miles Cameron brings his distinctive style to the table, yet slightly moulds it to fit well with his setting and characters.
We are thrown into a futuristic society, following the character Marca Nbaro, who joins one of the great ships destined for a trade point to collect xenoglas, a precious material that almost dominates society. But, she is a character with a traumatic past and suffers as a result, with no trust for those around her and a constant foreboding of being discovered and thrown out of her newfound home.
After finishing Artifact Space, I can say that Miles Cameron is a master of characters. The subtle hints to the context of characters, and their complex fluctuation of moods and idiosyncrasies is just wonderfully represented in the form of an array of personalities and circumstances, with the subtext of their past lending itself fantastically to the dialogue and the direction of their actions and the events that emerge as a consequence.
I am not widely read in the science fiction genre, but I can say with relative confidence that Miles Cameron has formed a unique and fresh setting with great detail within these pages, making you feel almost as if you actually are in space, and that you know now what it would be like to fly or be posted on a great ship. The detail is just crazy. Christian Cameron himself has said that one of his intentions is to immerse the reader, and in my opinion he has achieved that goal in Artifact Space.
To hear a short pitch of this sci-fi debut from Miles/Christian Cameron himself, to see if this is for you, you can click on a link here - The Brothers Gwynne
June 13, 2021
There is virtually no buildup at all in the beginning of this book as we immediately encounter the main character Marca Nbaro as she is being pursued by some gigantic scary dudes. For what reason isn't clear at that moment but the excitement of the chase and the tension with regard to whether or not she will be caught is thrill enough. This is the launching point (no pun intended) for Cameron's ARTIFACT SPACE and it really doesn't ever let up from there. The tone is set in the opening chapter for what turns out to be an unbelievably action-packed space opera interwoven with so many different intriguing mysteries that make up the heart of the story.
There are so many cool elements to this book, and one of them is the amazing Greatships that can carry up to 10,000 crew members. Oh and did I mention they are shaped like swords? You didn't think that Miles Cameron was going to leave his epic fantasy influences behind completely did you? Envisioning these transport ships and their unique construction really captured my imagination and Cameron does an outstanding job of giving such a vivid description of these enormous space vessels. So right away I was blown away by the technology aspect of this story. But this isn't just a hollow tale with cool tech as window-dressing, on the contrary, this story is about a person trying to overcome a dubious past that seems to follow her wherever she goes. And along the way we find that Cameron takes us in so many directions we never even imagined with thrilling side-stories aplenty.
As I was reading ARTIFACT SPACE I made a comment that it reminded me of some of the space operas of Peter F. Hamilton, and there are some similarities. However, what Miles Cameron achieves that I never seemed to get from Hamilton's books is that complexity and depth of character development. And that in the end is what seriously separates this SF story from so many others. Yes there is a ton of action and suspense, yes there are cool ideas and advanced science, but there is also a moving human element that I rarely have come across, that made this a much more fulfilling read.
Marca is such an easy character to root for as she seems to have gotten a pretty raw deal and her plight is one that is very relatable. Does she always go about things the legal and honest way? Not really. But we can't really fault her for it most of the time because her earnest intentions are always behind her sometimes questionable actions. And let's be honest, who doesn't love seeing someone who has had their life placed firmly behind the 8-ball dish out some payback? So yeah there were quite a few times when I definitely cheered out loud for her.
As I finished the book I couldn't believe how quickly those last 100 pages or so went. If you are looking for a fun and electrifying SF book to engross yourself in this summer, ARTIFACT SPACE is the book that will satisfy on so many levels. I totally enjoyed this multi-layered space opera and would recommend it to anyone looking for an accessible SF book that doesn't bog you down with overly-technical mumbo jumbo and headache-inducing terminology. Read and savor this one for the wonderful space adventure and the extraordinary story. Well Miles Cameron, you can add yet another genre, Science-Fiction, to the ever-expanding list that you have already mastered.
There are so many cool elements to this book, and one of them is the amazing Greatships that can carry up to 10,000 crew members. Oh and did I mention they are shaped like swords? You didn't think that Miles Cameron was going to leave his epic fantasy influences behind completely did you? Envisioning these transport ships and their unique construction really captured my imagination and Cameron does an outstanding job of giving such a vivid description of these enormous space vessels. So right away I was blown away by the technology aspect of this story. But this isn't just a hollow tale with cool tech as window-dressing, on the contrary, this story is about a person trying to overcome a dubious past that seems to follow her wherever she goes. And along the way we find that Cameron takes us in so many directions we never even imagined with thrilling side-stories aplenty.
As I was reading ARTIFACT SPACE I made a comment that it reminded me of some of the space operas of Peter F. Hamilton, and there are some similarities. However, what Miles Cameron achieves that I never seemed to get from Hamilton's books is that complexity and depth of character development. And that in the end is what seriously separates this SF story from so many others. Yes there is a ton of action and suspense, yes there are cool ideas and advanced science, but there is also a moving human element that I rarely have come across, that made this a much more fulfilling read.
Marca is such an easy character to root for as she seems to have gotten a pretty raw deal and her plight is one that is very relatable. Does she always go about things the legal and honest way? Not really. But we can't really fault her for it most of the time because her earnest intentions are always behind her sometimes questionable actions. And let's be honest, who doesn't love seeing someone who has had their life placed firmly behind the 8-ball dish out some payback? So yeah there were quite a few times when I definitely cheered out loud for her.
As I finished the book I couldn't believe how quickly those last 100 pages or so went. If you are looking for a fun and electrifying SF book to engross yourself in this summer, ARTIFACT SPACE is the book that will satisfy on so many levels. I totally enjoyed this multi-layered space opera and would recommend it to anyone looking for an accessible SF book that doesn't bog you down with overly-technical mumbo jumbo and headache-inducing terminology. Read and savor this one for the wonderful space adventure and the extraordinary story. Well Miles Cameron, you can add yet another genre, Science-Fiction, to the ever-expanding list that you have already mastered.
April 21, 2021
Surprise, surprise! Another awesome book from Miles Cameron, who writes like no one else I know. There's an honesty in his work, a mix of high adventure and war-time camaraderie fused with gritty, day-to-day details that makes the setting and characters feel, for lack of a better term, really, really real.
If you liked the style he honed in the Traitor Son Cycle and perfected in his Masters and Mages series, there's more of that here: but in space! And if you haven't read him yet, this is a great place to start.
If you liked the style he honed in the Traitor Son Cycle and perfected in his Masters and Mages series, there's more of that here: but in space! And if you haven't read him yet, this is a great place to start.
June 15, 2021
So Christian can write fantasy, historical fiction, and now sci-fi, perfectly. This man is a genius! Fantastically brilliant character driven sci-fi with those details that fans of Cameron will continue to love and some of the best character work written that will attract hordes of new readers like bees to honey, or knights to armour!
February 1, 2022
This is a new all-time favorite! A wonderfully upbeat military space opera in the tradition of Horatio Hornblower and Honor Harrington, but updated and perfect for modern readers. It's as if someone had looked at my list of favorite things and thought "okay, how about I put ALL of them in a single novel"?
What you can expect:
- a fantastic lead in Marca Nbaro, starting her first day as a lowly (and fake) Midshipman on a massive ancient space ship
- lots of anxiety because you'll be feverishly rooting for this very likable protagonist
- eccentric, lovable characters and friendships
- very cool aliens and a focus on how to communicate with them
- lots of (real) technical, military, and scientific jargon and explanations (which I love because it's all so authentic and immersive, but your mileage may vary)
- the somehow sweetest, low-key love story I've read in a long time
- Intergalactic Merchant Republic society lead by patrician families (similar to old Venice)
- an interesting artificial intelligence
- spies and counterintelligence
- a strong focus on shuttles, space flight and hangar control, so if you just lurrve that kind of stuff and find it very exciting, which I do, then you'll really love this
- gorgeous alien planets
- mysterious alien ruins
- cyborg enhancements
- very diverse cast of characters
- awesome space battles with interesting tactics
- lots of excitement and a complex plot
Just... all my favorite things. I realize that this is not going to be everybody's cup of tea - it falls squarely into the sub-genre of military SF (they are not a true military though, but an armed merchant fleet), so expect to learn exactly how everything works (you can skip the explanations and jargon if that's not your thing, but I loved it). Another aspect that may not be for everyone: the book focuses on a group of really good, admirable people who are excellent at their jobs (although everyone still messes up and makes mistakes: they're not Mary Sues). This kind of environment is wonderfully healing for Marca Nbaro - who's grown up in orphanage hell with a very different sort of people - and I loved all the genuine friendship and loving, optimistic atmosphere. But if you're the kind of person who usually hates that and who prefers dark, villainous protagonists: this is not going to be the book for you!
But I think if you liked Project Hail Mary, you'll love this one.
The author was in the British Navy, I believe, and that kind of experience is just visible on every page, it makes everything feel so much more authentic and real and touchable. It's in the details, you feel as if you're right there in the cockpit. He's also done his homework on what zero-g is like, what space is like, everything. I can't believe this is his first SF novel. So well done!
I'll definitely read book 2 the moment it comes out (this will be a series, but it also works well as a standalone).
What you can expect:
- a fantastic lead in Marca Nbaro, starting her first day as a lowly (and fake) Midshipman on a massive ancient space ship
- lots of anxiety because you'll be feverishly rooting for this very likable protagonist
- eccentric, lovable characters and friendships
- very cool aliens and a focus on how to communicate with them
- lots of (real) technical, military, and scientific jargon and explanations (which I love because it's all so authentic and immersive, but your mileage may vary)
- the somehow sweetest, low-key love story I've read in a long time
- Intergalactic Merchant Republic society lead by patrician families (similar to old Venice)
- an interesting artificial intelligence
- spies and counterintelligence
- a strong focus on shuttles, space flight and hangar control, so if you just lurrve that kind of stuff and find it very exciting, which I do, then you'll really love this
- gorgeous alien planets
- mysterious alien ruins
- cyborg enhancements
- very diverse cast of characters
- awesome space battles with interesting tactics
- lots of excitement and a complex plot
Just... all my favorite things. I realize that this is not going to be everybody's cup of tea - it falls squarely into the sub-genre of military SF (they are not a true military though, but an armed merchant fleet), so expect to learn exactly how everything works (you can skip the explanations and jargon if that's not your thing, but I loved it). Another aspect that may not be for everyone: the book focuses on a group of really good, admirable people who are excellent at their jobs (although everyone still messes up and makes mistakes: they're not Mary Sues). This kind of environment is wonderfully healing for Marca Nbaro - who's grown up in orphanage hell with a very different sort of people - and I loved all the genuine friendship and loving, optimistic atmosphere. But if you're the kind of person who usually hates that and who prefers dark, villainous protagonists: this is not going to be the book for you!
But I think if you liked Project Hail Mary, you'll love this one.
The author was in the British Navy, I believe, and that kind of experience is just visible on every page, it makes everything feel so much more authentic and real and touchable. It's in the details, you feel as if you're right there in the cockpit. He's also done his homework on what zero-g is like, what space is like, everything. I can't believe this is his first SF novel. So well done!
I'll definitely read book 2 the moment it comes out (this will be a series, but it also works well as a standalone).
September 2, 2022
4.0 stars
This was an engaging space opera narrative with some good characters and strong worldbuilding elements. I've recently been disappointed by so many space opera books because they so often feel superficial. Yet despite having a fast paced narrative, this one felt solid and well crafted. It definitely makes me interested in reading his fantasy work.
This was an engaging space opera narrative with some good characters and strong worldbuilding elements. I've recently been disappointed by so many space opera books because they so often feel superficial. Yet despite having a fast paced narrative, this one felt solid and well crafted. It definitely makes me interested in reading his fantasy work.
September 28, 2024
My review of Artifact Space is published at Grimdark Magazine.
Artifact Space is the first science fiction novel by Miles Cameron, a pseudonym for genre chameleon Christian Cameron, who has published over forty novels across historical fiction and epic fantasy. With his debut jaunt into the greater cosmos, Cameron introduces us to the Arcana Imperii Universe and its prodigious intergalactic trade. The technological advances of this far-flung future are built on xenoglas, a rare but powerful material originating from an alien Starfish race. Xenoglas is also big business, the most coveted good transported by the enormous Greatships. What could possibly go wrong?
The Greatships are a sight to behold: sword-shaped spacefaring behemoths, kilometers in length and having cross-sections five hundred meters wide. With their several inhabitable decks, the Greatships can accommodate the population of an entire city. However, their valuable cargo also makes them the target of nefarious attacks.
Miles Cameron’s deep love of history surfaces throughout Artifact Space. I enjoyed seeing how artifacts from Earth’s human civilization are captured in the far future of the Arcana Imperii Universe. There is clear inspiration from Renaissance era sea trade, with many of the ship and port names reflecting cities from the network of trade routes known as the Mediterranean Sea Complex. But the similarities go beyond nomenclature, as Miles Cameron has transposed many of the real-world problems faced by Renaissance era seafarers to a sci-fi outer space setting.
Notwithstanding its excellent worldbuilding, Artifact Space is primarily a character-driven novel built around the lively orphan Marca Nbaro, who forges papers to become a midshipman on the Greatship Athens. Artifact Space also features a great cast of side characters including the engineer, Qaqqaq, and Marca’s friend and roommate, Thea. Despite coming from a more privileged background, Thea forms a close friendship with Marca that becomes one of the highlights of the novel. There is also some light romance, which (unfortunately) I never found quite believable.
There is nary a dull moment here as Marca faces the perils of space while struggling to heal the scars of her past. Miles Cameron’s propulsive writing races to keep up with the fast-paced action. The author’s past career as a naval officer definitely shines through in considerations of military strategy.
Altogether, Artifact Space is sure to become a favorite among fans of space opera and military science fiction. The adventure continues with Deep Black, the second volume of the Arcana Imperii series.
Artifact Space is the first science fiction novel by Miles Cameron, a pseudonym for genre chameleon Christian Cameron, who has published over forty novels across historical fiction and epic fantasy. With his debut jaunt into the greater cosmos, Cameron introduces us to the Arcana Imperii Universe and its prodigious intergalactic trade. The technological advances of this far-flung future are built on xenoglas, a rare but powerful material originating from an alien Starfish race. Xenoglas is also big business, the most coveted good transported by the enormous Greatships. What could possibly go wrong?
The Greatships are a sight to behold: sword-shaped spacefaring behemoths, kilometers in length and having cross-sections five hundred meters wide. With their several inhabitable decks, the Greatships can accommodate the population of an entire city. However, their valuable cargo also makes them the target of nefarious attacks.
Miles Cameron’s deep love of history surfaces throughout Artifact Space. I enjoyed seeing how artifacts from Earth’s human civilization are captured in the far future of the Arcana Imperii Universe. There is clear inspiration from Renaissance era sea trade, with many of the ship and port names reflecting cities from the network of trade routes known as the Mediterranean Sea Complex. But the similarities go beyond nomenclature, as Miles Cameron has transposed many of the real-world problems faced by Renaissance era seafarers to a sci-fi outer space setting.
Notwithstanding its excellent worldbuilding, Artifact Space is primarily a character-driven novel built around the lively orphan Marca Nbaro, who forges papers to become a midshipman on the Greatship Athens. Artifact Space also features a great cast of side characters including the engineer, Qaqqaq, and Marca’s friend and roommate, Thea. Despite coming from a more privileged background, Thea forms a close friendship with Marca that becomes one of the highlights of the novel. There is also some light romance, which (unfortunately) I never found quite believable.
There is nary a dull moment here as Marca faces the perils of space while struggling to heal the scars of her past. Miles Cameron’s propulsive writing races to keep up with the fast-paced action. The author’s past career as a naval officer definitely shines through in considerations of military strategy.
Altogether, Artifact Space is sure to become a favorite among fans of space opera and military science fiction. The adventure continues with Deep Black, the second volume of the Arcana Imperii series.
January 11, 2023
Read: 08282022
Edit I: 01112023
A very good Mil Sci-Fi Space Opera type with a dusting of Hard Sci-Fi. The pacing was good, the world-building detailed and not overwhelming.
The characterisations were quite intricate and a lot of space was dedicated to it.
~~~~~~~~~~
Recommended for space opera natives looking for a military bend.
Edit I: 01112023
A very good Mil Sci-Fi Space Opera type with a dusting of Hard Sci-Fi. The pacing was good, the world-building detailed and not overwhelming.
The characterisations were quite intricate and a lot of space was dedicated to it.
~~~~~~~~~~
Recommended for space opera natives looking for a military bend.
August 15, 2021
This is a mil-SF from the author better known for his fantasy series. This is also the first book this year I didn’t finish, stopped at 19%.
I decided to read this book after an accolade from Sebastien de Castell, which can be read here. The general premise looked well: a story about giant ships, many kilometers long, connecting star systems. So, I had quite high expectations.
The story starts with a young girl from orphanage gets false documents to join a giant ship as part of the crew. On her way she is followed by some bad security guy, whom she kills. Then she successfully joins the ship as an officer, despite all her training was in VR. She adores the contrast between her previous life and this one, that people are much more friendly and helpful on the ship. All goes really swell but one day come news that another ship is destroyed by unknown forces, possibly non-humans.
On a surface the story doesn’t sound particularly new, but what put me off is that instead of following the main story, the author gives a lot of details, which I don’t care for, from long depiction how small ships accelerated by tubes inside the giant one to stressing that her skin and hair are brown and she had sixteen demerits formally for bringing a lover into the Orphanage but really for reporting on a senior patrician from the most powerful family… she is also too brilliant and righteous.
I decided to read this book after an accolade from Sebastien de Castell, which can be read here. The general premise looked well: a story about giant ships, many kilometers long, connecting star systems. So, I had quite high expectations.
The story starts with a young girl from orphanage gets false documents to join a giant ship as part of the crew. On her way she is followed by some bad security guy, whom she kills. Then she successfully joins the ship as an officer, despite all her training was in VR. She adores the contrast between her previous life and this one, that people are much more friendly and helpful on the ship. All goes really swell but one day come news that another ship is destroyed by unknown forces, possibly non-humans.
On a surface the story doesn’t sound particularly new, but what put me off is that instead of following the main story, the author gives a lot of details, which I don’t care for, from long depiction how small ships accelerated by tubes inside the giant one to stressing that her skin and hair are brown and she had sixteen demerits formally for bringing a lover into the Orphanage but really for reporting on a senior patrician from the most powerful family… she is also too brilliant and righteous.
June 2, 2021
Totally loved this book. If you enjoy a CJ Cherryh style of 'determined waif in space' coupled with the tough metric of 'hard work and merit matters' to advance a well rounded protagonist with a checkered start in life - a scenario encountered so beautifully in the Liaden series by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, - run, don't walk, and snag a copy of this book. If you are wanting a rousing space opera with lots of suspense, sharp action, true diversity, and a stunning, quick paced plot, you will find the characterization on page here is just as beautifully drawn. And cool swords, scribed by an author with hands on knowledge - I'm hooked for the duration.
Sequel please, and soon! A very long time since a book this tautly written kept me up past my bedtime!
Sequel please, and soon! A very long time since a book this tautly written kept me up past my bedtime!
July 7, 2021
Excellent space opera that for the first 3/4 or so is utterly awesome and I thought it would easily be my number one book of the year, but then it goes into the "heroin has to save not only herself, her friends, the ship, the existing order - Marca, the heroine is an orphan who grew up in a brutal orphanage technically for the children of the privileged but left to the mercies of a venal and merciless patrician boss, while on the other hand, she is also the nominal head of one of the most patrician of patrician families so with a little cash and a good service record, she is slated to be a future leader of the society regardless and people already start placing bets on her ascending to power eventually - but also the universe and even the multiverse too" mode, upping the stakes and action to almost jumping the shark/losing the suspension of disbelief levels, so one starts wondering what is for her to save in the next volume...
Hence while I greatly enjoyed it and would easily make my top 10 of the year, Artifact space would have done better to go a bit more gradually in the clearly predicted ascent of Marca; this being said, the characters, the universe, the action, and even the fairly telegraphed romance are really compelling and the pages turn by themselves, so one wants more as son as possible
Highly recommended
Hence while I greatly enjoyed it and would easily make my top 10 of the year, Artifact space would have done better to go a bit more gradually in the clearly predicted ascent of Marca; this being said, the characters, the universe, the action, and even the fairly telegraphed romance are really compelling and the pages turn by themselves, so one wants more as son as possible
Highly recommended
July 13, 2021
This is a cracking (and, frankly, wrist-cracking at 568 pages) piece of space opera. That's a term that is sometimes used as a put-down to suggest pulp rubbish, but I use it affectionately. It's not trying to be great literature, but it's a great read, which is all I want from a book.
The author mentions Alistair Reynolds as an inspiration - and it's certainly true that there's something of Reynolds' (or Banks') sweeping imagination of a space-based civilisation. But for me, there's more here of a modern equivalent of Robert Heinlein at his best. Not the soppy stuff he produced towards the end of his career, but the period that peaked with The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. In fact, the basic storyline has a distinct resemblance to that of Heinlein's Starman Jones. In that 1950s novel, the main character is from a spacegoing family who manages to get a place on a ship despite not having the qualifications, and with his skill manages in the end to save the whole ship. Here, our central character, Marca Nbaro, has a similar trajectory, though both the ship Athens (which is Star Trek-like in its scale and ethos, but in the form of a massive military-supported interstellar trader rather than an exploratory ship) and the central character is much more twenty-first century science fiction.
I liked the way that Miles Cameron doesn't gloss over the grunt work of getting on in an environment like this - Nbaro spends a long time working on training in different spheres - and despite the book feeling a little too long, there is plenty of action to keep the reader engaged. The characters are reasonably well drawn, though they rarely surprise you - the good guys are always obviously good guys, and similarly with the villains. Although there is also a touch of Starship Troopers in the military action side, it never dominates - this is a much more subtle book and doesn't attempt to glorify war and killing.
Like many modern SF novels - particularly the military action type - the main character is female. What's fascinating given the discussions about male and female main characters is that it doesn't make any difference to the reader identifying with her - it makes you wonder why this took so long to happen. It's just an excellent example of space opera at its best.
There were one or two small issues, mostly editorial. The first few pages were difficult to follow - if you just go with the flow, you do pick up what it's referring to, but Cameron deliberately introduces a flurry of not-quite-clear concepts. This isn't bad - I rather like it - but might put some readers off. The book has been converted from US (well, Canadian) into English spelling, but rather irritatingly the title hasn't been. And there were a few examples - hardly surprising in a book this length - of word repetition and other slightly clumsy bits of writing you might expect to be fixed in the edit. However, all this is trivial.
This is the first half of a two-book series - it works fine as a standalone, but it's hard to imagine anyone reading it and not wanting to read the other title as well.
The author mentions Alistair Reynolds as an inspiration - and it's certainly true that there's something of Reynolds' (or Banks') sweeping imagination of a space-based civilisation. But for me, there's more here of a modern equivalent of Robert Heinlein at his best. Not the soppy stuff he produced towards the end of his career, but the period that peaked with The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. In fact, the basic storyline has a distinct resemblance to that of Heinlein's Starman Jones. In that 1950s novel, the main character is from a spacegoing family who manages to get a place on a ship despite not having the qualifications, and with his skill manages in the end to save the whole ship. Here, our central character, Marca Nbaro, has a similar trajectory, though both the ship Athens (which is Star Trek-like in its scale and ethos, but in the form of a massive military-supported interstellar trader rather than an exploratory ship) and the central character is much more twenty-first century science fiction.
I liked the way that Miles Cameron doesn't gloss over the grunt work of getting on in an environment like this - Nbaro spends a long time working on training in different spheres - and despite the book feeling a little too long, there is plenty of action to keep the reader engaged. The characters are reasonably well drawn, though they rarely surprise you - the good guys are always obviously good guys, and similarly with the villains. Although there is also a touch of Starship Troopers in the military action side, it never dominates - this is a much more subtle book and doesn't attempt to glorify war and killing.
Like many modern SF novels - particularly the military action type - the main character is female. What's fascinating given the discussions about male and female main characters is that it doesn't make any difference to the reader identifying with her - it makes you wonder why this took so long to happen. It's just an excellent example of space opera at its best.
There were one or two small issues, mostly editorial. The first few pages were difficult to follow - if you just go with the flow, you do pick up what it's referring to, but Cameron deliberately introduces a flurry of not-quite-clear concepts. This isn't bad - I rather like it - but might put some readers off. The book has been converted from US (well, Canadian) into English spelling, but rather irritatingly the title hasn't been. And there were a few examples - hardly surprising in a book this length - of word repetition and other slightly clumsy bits of writing you might expect to be fixed in the edit. However, all this is trivial.
This is the first half of a two-book series - it works fine as a standalone, but it's hard to imagine anyone reading it and not wanting to read the other title as well.
July 31, 2022
Cameron's first foray into science fiction is quite a treat, replete with his attention to detail. Our lead, Marca Nbaro, is a definite Mary Sue protagonist navigating a very complex and well thought out universe. Artifact Space, while obviously the title, refers to the 'exotic artifacts' left over from the Big Bang that facilitate FTL travel, allowing a ship to 'skip' from system to system using them and stellar masses as referents in 'hyperspace' for lack of a better word.
Artifact Space is set about 8 centuries into the future and humanity has largely left Earth in a great diaspora. While there are several independent systems and in fact, entire human 'empires', the story starts in New London, one of the original space colonies and the heart of far flung trading empire connected via huge armed merchant ships that (surprise!) look like gigantic 14KM long swords.
Our heroine, Marca, comes from an old, patrician family, one of the original ones that started the trade empire, but after the deaths of her parents and so forth, was raised in an orphanage in New London, a really nasty one. Her dream has always been to go to space and work on one of the giant trade ships (there are less than 10 of them) but due to political intrigue, she had to falsify computer records allowing her to enter service as a Middy. The ruse works and soon she finds herself ensconced in life in the Athena. I think for most readers, Marca will either make or break the book; she is beset by self-doubts, constantly worrying about her performance and haunted by her upbringing. Yet, she is a Mary Sue and moves to tackle one crisis after another with aplomb.
Cameron's attention to detail may also be off-putting for some; he really put some time into immersing the reader into the daily life of the ship and its crew, so you will 'learn' quite a bit about the Athena and what makes her tick. I liked this a lot however, and the frenetic pacing just does not let up, even with frequent info dumps given to Marca as her knowledge of shipboard life is less than adequate to say the least.
Artifact Space is really a classic space opera, with adventure, a fair amount of action and fighting, alongside political intrigue and some interesting aliens added to the mix. I could do without the flimsy romance along the way but once you get into this novel, it is really hard to stop. That stated, I read about 20% of it before I came to realize I was really enjoying it. Nice ending, but oh, what a cliff hanger! 4 spacy stars!!!
Artifact Space is set about 8 centuries into the future and humanity has largely left Earth in a great diaspora. While there are several independent systems and in fact, entire human 'empires', the story starts in New London, one of the original space colonies and the heart of far flung trading empire connected via huge armed merchant ships that (surprise!) look like gigantic 14KM long swords.
Our heroine, Marca, comes from an old, patrician family, one of the original ones that started the trade empire, but after the deaths of her parents and so forth, was raised in an orphanage in New London, a really nasty one. Her dream has always been to go to space and work on one of the giant trade ships (there are less than 10 of them) but due to political intrigue, she had to falsify computer records allowing her to enter service as a Middy. The ruse works and soon she finds herself ensconced in life in the Athena. I think for most readers, Marca will either make or break the book; she is beset by self-doubts, constantly worrying about her performance and haunted by her upbringing. Yet, she is a Mary Sue and moves to tackle one crisis after another with aplomb.
Cameron's attention to detail may also be off-putting for some; he really put some time into immersing the reader into the daily life of the ship and its crew, so you will 'learn' quite a bit about the Athena and what makes her tick. I liked this a lot however, and the frenetic pacing just does not let up, even with frequent info dumps given to Marca as her knowledge of shipboard life is less than adequate to say the least.
Artifact Space is really a classic space opera, with adventure, a fair amount of action and fighting, alongside political intrigue and some interesting aliens added to the mix. I could do without the flimsy romance along the way but once you get into this novel, it is really hard to stop. That stated, I read about 20% of it before I came to realize I was really enjoying it. Nice ending, but oh, what a cliff hanger! 4 spacy stars!!!
October 13, 2022
2.5. It starts well and promising! But... A lot of filler in boring trainings (a lot of sword practice - in a Space Opera not named "Star Wars. Then we have the protagonist: usually you would like her: the teenager, who suffered at an orphanage and gets the oportunity of a lifetime! But the author REALLY want you to like her: a math genius, a brilliant pilot from her first flight, a mastermind in espionage and saves the ship a lot of times - with ideas that veterans, a powerfull IA and the Augmented Humans on the ship never tought!
The "romance" parts were extremely boring and not organic to the narrative at all.
I started reading Miles/Christian Cameron this year and loved some of his books (his Alexander historical fiction is on my top list with the Arthur books from Cornwell), but his dialogues are so boring and dry. Everybody is always laugh or "shrugged" - i thing that is more than 100 times the word "shrugged" is used - is this happens in all of his books!
The book had it`s good moments, but always some of those details (my pet peeves) was spoiling the enjoyment. It was like reading a book written by 15 year old trying to imitate peter hamilton.
I`ll pass the rest of the series.
The "romance" parts were extremely boring and not organic to the narrative at all.
I started reading Miles/Christian Cameron this year and loved some of his books (his Alexander historical fiction is on my top list with the Arthur books from Cornwell), but his dialogues are so boring and dry. Everybody is always laugh or "shrugged" - i thing that is more than 100 times the word "shrugged" is used - is this happens in all of his books!
The book had it`s good moments, but always some of those details (my pet peeves) was spoiling the enjoyment. It was like reading a book written by 15 year old trying to imitate peter hamilton.
I`ll pass the rest of the series.
February 3, 2022
"This is boring," she said.
"No shit," Thea said.
Thea Drake said it best; I think I'm missing something important because this book has gotten rave reviews but, Artifact Space is boring.
Marca Nbaro, the story's protagonist, is a brilliant orphan raised in a corrupt system. She has big dreams and seeks to escape her oppressed upbringing by forging a new future on a Greatship (mighty trade ships). However, all Greatships are suddenly under mysterious attacks, and Marca's new home is a target. It's up to the crew, including Marca, to save the ship and find the cause of the unexpected threats. Artifact Space offers a great premise, but falls flat.
First of all, everyone on the Greatship Athens is sickeningly sweet to the newbie. It's all too easy as Marca endears herself to all, and meets little resistance along the way. She quickly moves up the ranks by displaying genius-level intelligence in training missions and making tactical decisions like a veteran (she learnt all these skills in sims). Marca Nbaro is, by design, supposed to be very likeable, however, I simply found her tedious.
Secondly, Marca sleeps, eats bulbs of curry, drinks coffee, attends Tactics/Boarding party classes, then does it all again. Often there are space battles where Marca always loses a "friend", but the supporting characters/clones were so bland and underdeveloped that I never cared.
...and somehow they'd passed through terror and adversity to the other extremity of routine and boredom without passing through a happy medium.
It's like the author knew he was inundating the readers with mundaneness and decided to clue everyone in with statements like the above sprinkled all through the book. If you like to read about the unexciting day-to-day tedium of life in space with a bunch of uninspiring characters, this is the book for you.
I haven't read a lot of Sci-Fi, but this wasn't my style. Reading Artifact Space was a struggle because everything of note could have happened in 200 pages or less. I wanted to like this book, but it was very disappointing.
March 26, 2022
I’m a bit ambivalent about this one. I love Christian Cameron’s Greek novels and this seemed a good opportunity to branch out into his science fiction/fantasy ones. A lot of speculative fiction authors dabble occasionally in historical fiction. Why shouldn’t the process go both ways? One of Cameron’s best skills is his ability to reproduce the feel and lived experience of the period, so here where he gets to create the whole universe it should give him a real chance to be creative. The world he’s created is suitably complicated, though I’m not wholly clear on the government’s operation. It’s based loosely on the Italian city-states of the Middle Ages, as you can tell by the fact that most of Venice is aboard the ship we start off with. The navy is really a glorified merchant fleet, with trading rights being part of why you sign up. I thought that was interesting. Space traders was not something I expected to see in a military scifi novel.
The mystery at the core of this book is surprisingly total. Nothing is clear, not who, why, how, or even when and where. The long distances and time between transit points makes determining anything a real mess. I suppose that ramps up the paranoia, but it also leaves the first part of the book a bit rudderless. Doubly true since this is where we get most of our internal conflict as well. Maybe it’s just me, but I find I don’t engage as much with a plot when I don’t have a clue where it’s taking us. The mystery itself isn’t that complicated. I’m no great expert at solving crimes (I’m regularly surprised by mystery novels) but I had worked out most of the big reveals by midway through. At least once I only questioned my conclusion because it seemed too obvious. Nope. I’m not sure how well I believe the big conspiracy. I’m holding my reservations until we actually see the villains in book two, but the plan seems overly broad for a conspiracy and awfully limited for a social movement. Surely a faction with this many resources wouldn’t need to rely on terrorist tactics to get what it wanted? I mean, they’re drawing an awful lot of heat down on themselves for what seems like little purpose. And I get serious Dr. Evil vibes from some of their behavior. Who would voluntarily be a henchman for that sort of person? You’re so obviously going to be fed to sharks with laser beams.
I also have some reservations about the lead character. It’s not her personality or character arc I’m thinking of (both are fine) but the role she plays in the story. I’m not using the term Mary Sue because it’s basically become oversaturated by toxic fandoms, but she seems waaaay too central to everything going on. She’s a skilled pilot, sword fighter, intelligence officer, marine, captain, and bodyguard. That’s just too many things for a midshipper who just joined the crew (illegally) a month before. I understand the need to have the POV character be everywhere so that we know what’s going on, but this just seems like too much. Even for a veteran this would seem a pretty excessive list. Maybe it would have worked better if there had been more than one POV character? One person to handle all the dogfighting and worldbuilding stuff and another to handle counterintelligence and in-person combat? It's just really weird to have a midshipper cargo pilot co-running the ship’s main counterintelligence organization in her spare time in between filling in for the captain and trying to protect the ship AI.
I think my big issue with the book though is that it’s really not a novel but half of one. The entire book builds up to a big reveal – a climactic encounter that will change everything and reshape the way the world as we perceive it works. That’s... not really what we get. Instead, we get the setup for the big reveal. The big reveal itself will apparently come in the opening pages of the next book in this series. We cut off right as everything is about to be explained. I guess this will probably be no big deal to people in a few years as people can just read both books together, but the second one isn’t even out yet and that makes it an annoyance now. But even then, there is just too much in this book to write it off as a cliffhanger. Cliffhangers work in serials because they’re short and punchy. A large tome like this can’t end on an empty note without feeling incomplete and anticlimactic. It’s too long in the first place with too much worldbuilding and not enough plot. How many training vids and cargo runs do we really need? To be overstuffed and incomplete is a problem.
I’m not really sure how I’ll look back on this book. Maybe when the sequel comes out and I can see why it made some of the decisions it did I’ll be more forgiving. And it’s certainly not true that I didn’t enjoy it. I just found it a little empty. And overstuffed. Somehow. The characters are good, the ship hierarchy and organization well thought out (the political one less so, or at least we don’t see it), and the feeling of being alone in space is strong. I don’t know that it laid out the way starship combat works quite as effectively as other books I’ve read, but then we only get one space battle. But a lot of it comes down to that cliffhanger ending that should have revealed and justified all the narrative choices. Even if you’re interested in this book, I’d recommend waiting until the next one comes out so you can jump right over without it feeling like such a letdown.
The mystery at the core of this book is surprisingly total. Nothing is clear, not who, why, how, or even when and where. The long distances and time between transit points makes determining anything a real mess. I suppose that ramps up the paranoia, but it also leaves the first part of the book a bit rudderless. Doubly true since this is where we get most of our internal conflict as well. Maybe it’s just me, but I find I don’t engage as much with a plot when I don’t have a clue where it’s taking us. The mystery itself isn’t that complicated. I’m no great expert at solving crimes (I’m regularly surprised by mystery novels) but I had worked out most of the big reveals by midway through. At least once I only questioned my conclusion because it seemed too obvious. Nope. I’m not sure how well I believe the big conspiracy. I’m holding my reservations until we actually see the villains in book two, but the plan seems overly broad for a conspiracy and awfully limited for a social movement. Surely a faction with this many resources wouldn’t need to rely on terrorist tactics to get what it wanted? I mean, they’re drawing an awful lot of heat down on themselves for what seems like little purpose. And I get serious Dr. Evil vibes from some of their behavior. Who would voluntarily be a henchman for that sort of person? You’re so obviously going to be fed to sharks with laser beams.
I also have some reservations about the lead character. It’s not her personality or character arc I’m thinking of (both are fine) but the role she plays in the story. I’m not using the term Mary Sue because it’s basically become oversaturated by toxic fandoms, but she seems waaaay too central to everything going on. She’s a skilled pilot, sword fighter, intelligence officer, marine, captain, and bodyguard. That’s just too many things for a midshipper who just joined the crew (illegally) a month before. I understand the need to have the POV character be everywhere so that we know what’s going on, but this just seems like too much. Even for a veteran this would seem a pretty excessive list. Maybe it would have worked better if there had been more than one POV character? One person to handle all the dogfighting and worldbuilding stuff and another to handle counterintelligence and in-person combat? It's just really weird to have a midshipper cargo pilot co-running the ship’s main counterintelligence organization in her spare time in between filling in for the captain and trying to protect the ship AI.
I think my big issue with the book though is that it’s really not a novel but half of one. The entire book builds up to a big reveal – a climactic encounter that will change everything and reshape the way the world as we perceive it works. That’s... not really what we get. Instead, we get the setup for the big reveal. The big reveal itself will apparently come in the opening pages of the next book in this series. We cut off right as everything is about to be explained. I guess this will probably be no big deal to people in a few years as people can just read both books together, but the second one isn’t even out yet and that makes it an annoyance now. But even then, there is just too much in this book to write it off as a cliffhanger. Cliffhangers work in serials because they’re short and punchy. A large tome like this can’t end on an empty note without feeling incomplete and anticlimactic. It’s too long in the first place with too much worldbuilding and not enough plot. How many training vids and cargo runs do we really need? To be overstuffed and incomplete is a problem.
I’m not really sure how I’ll look back on this book. Maybe when the sequel comes out and I can see why it made some of the decisions it did I’ll be more forgiving. And it’s certainly not true that I didn’t enjoy it. I just found it a little empty. And overstuffed. Somehow. The characters are good, the ship hierarchy and organization well thought out (the political one less so, or at least we don’t see it), and the feeling of being alone in space is strong. I don’t know that it laid out the way starship combat works quite as effectively as other books I’ve read, but then we only get one space battle. But a lot of it comes down to that cliffhanger ending that should have revealed and justified all the narrative choices. Even if you’re interested in this book, I’d recommend waiting until the next one comes out so you can jump right over without it feeling like such a letdown.
June 8, 2021
Rating: 9.5/10
Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of Artifact Space for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.
Artifact Space is THE premiere epic space opera to have on your summer reading list. Cameron pulls no punches with razor-sharp prose, fast-paced storytelling, universe-scale world-building, and a cast of characters you can’t help but root for. Cameron fans and sci-fi fans alike are in for a real treat.
‘Apparently, once upon a time, cooking with gas was very…’ His eyes met hers. ‘Honestly, I don’t know. Half our jargon is from the old United States Navy and the other half is from the ancient British Royal Navy, and there’s a bunch of early spaceflight operations and some even from Old Terran trucking. Navies are the most conservative linguists anywhere – we preserve even the meaningless terms for hundreds of years.’
Nbaro smiled. ‘Like by and large.’
His eyes kindled, a fellow enthusiast. ‘Exactly.’
Weird to say as Miles and I have been social media pals for what feels like forever, but this is actually the first book of his that I have read. I have heard numerous amazing things about his Traitor Son Cycle and most recently Masters & Mages, and of course all of the historical fiction he writes under Christian Cameron, but just have not had the chance to take a stab (pun intended).
To say it took me some time to get used to Cameron’s writing style is a bit of an understatement, but once I figured out the flow and texture of his prose, this book flew by. The prose is very punchy and in your face; it doesn’t allow you much time to get your footing until you are thrown against a wall or having to parry for your life. I think that is part of what made this read so special. The author doesn’t waste time droning on and on with info dumps. Everything in the story serves a purpose and it is your job as the reader to keep up. Not saying things aren’t explained, but much like in grade school, the teacher is only going to say it once and then you are on your own.
Marca Nbaro is such an intriguing character. The way in which she navigates her way onto the Athens (very illegally), attempts to keep a low profile while also rising up the ranks by being a badass, and is always there to lend a hand to her crewmates is such a refreshing take in a genre (military science fiction) that is generally filled with gritty, war-soaked alcoholics looking for some kind of redemption or ‘last hurrah’. She is a character that is easily likeable; one who you quickly become enamored with as you learn about her past and the reason behind throwing everything and kitchen sink at getting onboard the Athens.
The book reads like a season of a TV show, which is a bit of a breathe of fresh air from a singular on-going battle or trip across the universe. Chapters feel like episodes where you can either read one and set it aside, or binge the entire thing to your heart’s content. Gives you sort of a reason to continue as chapters sometimes end on cliffhangers and, well, you just have to know what happens next.
All in all, this is an extraordinary piece of science fiction that will end up on my ‘Best Of�� list for 2021.
Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of Artifact Space for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.
Artifact Space is THE premiere epic space opera to have on your summer reading list. Cameron pulls no punches with razor-sharp prose, fast-paced storytelling, universe-scale world-building, and a cast of characters you can’t help but root for. Cameron fans and sci-fi fans alike are in for a real treat.
‘Apparently, once upon a time, cooking with gas was very…’ His eyes met hers. ‘Honestly, I don’t know. Half our jargon is from the old United States Navy and the other half is from the ancient British Royal Navy, and there’s a bunch of early spaceflight operations and some even from Old Terran trucking. Navies are the most conservative linguists anywhere – we preserve even the meaningless terms for hundreds of years.’
Nbaro smiled. ‘Like by and large.’
His eyes kindled, a fellow enthusiast. ‘Exactly.’
Weird to say as Miles and I have been social media pals for what feels like forever, but this is actually the first book of his that I have read. I have heard numerous amazing things about his Traitor Son Cycle and most recently Masters & Mages, and of course all of the historical fiction he writes under Christian Cameron, but just have not had the chance to take a stab (pun intended).
To say it took me some time to get used to Cameron’s writing style is a bit of an understatement, but once I figured out the flow and texture of his prose, this book flew by. The prose is very punchy and in your face; it doesn’t allow you much time to get your footing until you are thrown against a wall or having to parry for your life. I think that is part of what made this read so special. The author doesn’t waste time droning on and on with info dumps. Everything in the story serves a purpose and it is your job as the reader to keep up. Not saying things aren’t explained, but much like in grade school, the teacher is only going to say it once and then you are on your own.
Marca Nbaro is such an intriguing character. The way in which she navigates her way onto the Athens (very illegally), attempts to keep a low profile while also rising up the ranks by being a badass, and is always there to lend a hand to her crewmates is such a refreshing take in a genre (military science fiction) that is generally filled with gritty, war-soaked alcoholics looking for some kind of redemption or ‘last hurrah’. She is a character that is easily likeable; one who you quickly become enamored with as you learn about her past and the reason behind throwing everything and kitchen sink at getting onboard the Athens.
The book reads like a season of a TV show, which is a bit of a breathe of fresh air from a singular on-going battle or trip across the universe. Chapters feel like episodes where you can either read one and set it aside, or binge the entire thing to your heart’s content. Gives you sort of a reason to continue as chapters sometimes end on cliffhangers and, well, you just have to know what happens next.
All in all, this is an extraordinary piece of science fiction that will end up on my ‘Best Of�� list for 2021.
September 3, 2021
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars simply because I could not tear myself away from this book.
Yes, there are some plot / character aspects that had me go "wait, what?!", but they somehow worked in the greater story. Kinda like when you discover that adding a teensy pinch of salt to coffee makes your coffee sweeter. Unexpected, and yet... Yum!
I can't wait for the next installment in the series.
Yes, there are some plot / character aspects that had me go "wait, what?!", but they somehow worked in the greater story. Kinda like when you discover that adding a teensy pinch of salt to coffee makes your coffee sweeter. Unexpected, and yet... Yum!
I can't wait for the next installment in the series.
May 10, 2024
She could see the mammoth sword-blade of the ship stretching forward to a remote point, and the star field above it.
First impression: I was reminded of the way David Drake used to approach Science Fiction novels, drawing parallels with “old world” naval traditions, and in particular, trade and merchant shipping (or merchant navies).
There is a lot of attention to detail here. A lot.
”It’s funny how little we actually know about how to fight a war in space.”
There is also some action and intrigue. The story has a nice epic sweep. Mostly, people are calling it Military Science Fiction, but it has some space opera trappings as well, and there isn’t as much action as you would expect from a purely military focused story.
”We’re aiming for about 104 light years. This is where we jump off into the Deep Black, friends. Until this, we’ve been in home space.”
Despite being a fairly sprawling story that takes place over a number of star systems, it is focused on a single protagonist and her development during her tenure as midshipman aboard a Greatship. This allows the author to really dig into the characterization.
Speaking of the greatships, they are by far the most interesting thing here.
It was very lonely, and the universe was vast.
It’s worth noting that the book ends just when it gets interesting. There is going to be a sequel (this is part of a duology). All in all, I enjoyed it, although it meandered a bit. Given the fact that this book has almost 600 pages, the ending was a bit of a letdown.
Nevertheless, not too much to fault here. The author is certainly competent in what he is doing. I will likely read the sequel as well, since it promises to feature all the bits that Artifact Space was only leading up to.
3.5 stars
First impression: I was reminded of the way David Drake used to approach Science Fiction novels, drawing parallels with “old world” naval traditions, and in particular, trade and merchant shipping (or merchant navies).
There is a lot of attention to detail here. A lot.
”It’s funny how little we actually know about how to fight a war in space.”
There is also some action and intrigue. The story has a nice epic sweep. Mostly, people are calling it Military Science Fiction, but it has some space opera trappings as well, and there isn’t as much action as you would expect from a purely military focused story.
”We’re aiming for about 104 light years. This is where we jump off into the Deep Black, friends. Until this, we’ve been in home space.”
Despite being a fairly sprawling story that takes place over a number of star systems, it is focused on a single protagonist and her development during her tenure as midshipman aboard a Greatship. This allows the author to really dig into the characterization.
Speaking of the greatships, they are by far the most interesting thing here.
It was very lonely, and the universe was vast.
It’s worth noting that the book ends just when it gets interesting. There is going to be a sequel (this is part of a duology). All in all, I enjoyed it, although it meandered a bit. Given the fact that this book has almost 600 pages, the ending was a bit of a letdown.
Nevertheless, not too much to fault here. The author is certainly competent in what he is doing. I will likely read the sequel as well, since it promises to feature all the bits that Artifact Space was only leading up to.
3.5 stars
February 9, 2022
4.5*(stars)...Engaging story, part space opera, part military sci fi...great characterization and cool "sciencey" stuff...the writing was very good and easy to read...I had been craving a good, old fashioned space opera, and this novel definitely "scratched that itch..." I am looking forward to the sequel, as the story was left at a bit of a cliffhanger...
January 14, 2022
I'm baffled by the high ratings this has received. Multiple times during my read I went to Amazon to make sure I hadn't picked up a YA book with an identical title by mistake. The characters are one dimensional, the plot feels like it was drawn from a children's cartoon, and while some authors write by the maxim "show don't tell" the author of this clearly decided it was better to tell. Over and over again.
For example, in one random hour long stretch of my reading there were three times the book felt it important to convey the protagonist was really, really, smart. That information was conveyed, each time, by having another character tell the protagonist how smart they were. Those characters who told the protagonist how smart she was were also really smart! I know this because other characters, including the protagonist, commented multiple times on just how smart they were. Color me impressed.
I rate very few books as 1 star, but this has earned it.
For example, in one random hour long stretch of my reading there were three times the book felt it important to convey the protagonist was really, really, smart. That information was conveyed, each time, by having another character tell the protagonist how smart they were. Those characters who told the protagonist how smart she was were also really smart! I know this because other characters, including the protagonist, commented multiple times on just how smart they were. Color me impressed.
I rate very few books as 1 star, but this has earned it.
April 8, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed The Traitor Son Cycle series, which prompted me to try another read from Miles Cameron. I have to say he can write a space odyssey just as well as swords and sorcery.
This story centers around Marca Nbaro and her dream of flying, but achieving that dream is not an easy path, but one filled with hours and hours of hard work, along with deception. The reader joins in her quest, while learning the ins and outs of future space travel and trade. Its high tech without becoming so scientific that sometimes turns a novel into a text book, quickly losing my attention in the shuffle. As far as characters go, I want to hear more from them, the crew was fun and fascinating, right down to an eccentric AI. The ending swings a door wide open that I'll anxiously await to enter.
I listened to the story enjoying the talented narration of Nneka Okoye, whose voice seemed perfect for performing this space story of the future.
This story centers around Marca Nbaro and her dream of flying, but achieving that dream is not an easy path, but one filled with hours and hours of hard work, along with deception. The reader joins in her quest, while learning the ins and outs of future space travel and trade. Its high tech without becoming so scientific that sometimes turns a novel into a text book, quickly losing my attention in the shuffle. As far as characters go, I want to hear more from them, the crew was fun and fascinating, right down to an eccentric AI. The ending swings a door wide open that I'll anxiously await to enter.
I listened to the story enjoying the talented narration of Nneka Okoye, whose voice seemed perfect for performing this space story of the future.
Read
September 18, 2021I have a lot of thoughts about this book that are neither good nor bad -- but rather thoughts about what the book is and what it isn't, and who might enjoy it. I'll share them for that specific reason...so that people who might like it can find it.
Subjectively, let me say up front that I quite enjoyed it. The character is compelling, and Cameron gets tension out of the smallest things in a way that most authors can't. So even when not much was happening, I found myself really wanting to keep going.
First off, this is much more military SF than space opera. Sure, it's not technically military, but the tropes are there. There are a lot of training sequences, and we get a lot of day in the life of person aboard a ship sequences. Also, there's a lot of navy jargon, traditions, and interactions (which are really, really well done, BTW. So if you like military SF with realistic interactions, I highly recommend this book.)
The economic/political system is a little cringy for me. I feel like it tries to position itself as beyond capitalism, but you've got people of privilege, including the main character, using their government positions to enrich themselves. And the book passes this off not only as the way things are, but as a positive thing, I feel? I'm not sure. It's done well and makes sense, and it doesn't make me dislike the main character (who is eminently likeable) but when I think about it, I'm like mad at myself for liking it, if that makes sense.
The world building is really, really good. The way that space travel works and the restrictions on it, and how the human part of the galaxy has evolved based on that, is really well thought out and makes total sense.
The ending felt really rushed. Like with 5% of the book to go, I was staring at it like...there's no way this can end. On the positive side of that, it left me wanting more. On the negative side, as I said, it feels rushed. I don't want to post spoilers, but there are major, major things that appear to happen and then with just a few pages left we find 'oh, yeah, those things didn't happen.' And there's no end. This is one of those book ones that doesn't try to give you a satisfying ending, but more of a waypoint on the way into the next book.
Subjectively, let me say up front that I quite enjoyed it. The character is compelling, and Cameron gets tension out of the smallest things in a way that most authors can't. So even when not much was happening, I found myself really wanting to keep going.
First off, this is much more military SF than space opera. Sure, it's not technically military, but the tropes are there. There are a lot of training sequences, and we get a lot of day in the life of person aboard a ship sequences. Also, there's a lot of navy jargon, traditions, and interactions (which are really, really well done, BTW. So if you like military SF with realistic interactions, I highly recommend this book.)
The economic/political system is a little cringy for me. I feel like it tries to position itself as beyond capitalism, but you've got people of privilege, including the main character, using their government positions to enrich themselves. And the book passes this off not only as the way things are, but as a positive thing, I feel? I'm not sure. It's done well and makes sense, and it doesn't make me dislike the main character (who is eminently likeable) but when I think about it, I'm like mad at myself for liking it, if that makes sense.
The world building is really, really good. The way that space travel works and the restrictions on it, and how the human part of the galaxy has evolved based on that, is really well thought out and makes total sense.
The ending felt really rushed. Like with 5% of the book to go, I was staring at it like...there's no way this can end. On the positive side of that, it left me wanting more. On the negative side, as I said, it feels rushed. I don't want to post spoilers, but there are major, major things that appear to happen and then with just a few pages left we find 'oh, yeah, those things didn't happen.' And there's no end. This is one of those book ones that doesn't try to give you a satisfying ending, but more of a waypoint on the way into the next book.
August 16, 2021
Rating: 2.4/5
Review: Space opera? Social justice goes galactic?
Starting with our mainy, Marca. Hoo-boy she is just super speshul. She is everybody’s dreamboat cuz she’s kinda black, hotter than day-old rump fungus (everyone wants to bang that shjt or rape it) excels at everything and rose from the rapey-hole they call a space orphanage…sniff. Waah. If she not foiling a nuclear plot or saving a ship from disaster she is kung fooing the fukin shjt outta muthfuks with her swords….and feets. Marca is just a little too good to be true as everything in this story line revolves around miss perfect with a tragic and suspect past.
The world building was a little better but not by much. See in the author’s universe everyone is a happy merchant socialist plying the stars with goods in tow, ready to bring about a burgeoning expansion. Only this idea of existence is barely expounded upon and for good reason. It makes no sense. Capitalists are bad, merchant military socialists are good and …….?
Anyway, the story line skips and jitters about but is easy to follow. Just be prepared for abrupt changes in dialogue or sudden scene shifting.
The author is still entertaining to read as the myriad characters do the story line justice by supporting a weak and flailing main character. I could never rally in support of Marca due to the patterned development. Why do authors migrate to characters that lift themselves up by their boot straps and escape and overcome injustice by saving the galaxy? If you’re set on the orphanage route to greatness then delve into her early life rather than glossing over it.
This lacked the time and patience to build a character with grit. What we get is a Mary Sue with a Karen’s personality.
Review: Space opera? Social justice goes galactic?
Starting with our mainy, Marca. Hoo-boy she is just super speshul. She is everybody’s dreamboat cuz she’s kinda black, hotter than day-old rump fungus (everyone wants to bang that shjt or rape it) excels at everything and rose from the rapey-hole they call a space orphanage…sniff. Waah. If she not foiling a nuclear plot or saving a ship from disaster she is kung fooing the fukin shjt outta muthfuks with her swords….and feets. Marca is just a little too good to be true as everything in this story line revolves around miss perfect with a tragic and suspect past.
The world building was a little better but not by much. See in the author’s universe everyone is a happy merchant socialist plying the stars with goods in tow, ready to bring about a burgeoning expansion. Only this idea of existence is barely expounded upon and for good reason. It makes no sense. Capitalists are bad, merchant military socialists are good and …….?
Anyway, the story line skips and jitters about but is easy to follow. Just be prepared for abrupt changes in dialogue or sudden scene shifting.
The author is still entertaining to read as the myriad characters do the story line justice by supporting a weak and flailing main character. I could never rally in support of Marca due to the patterned development. Why do authors migrate to characters that lift themselves up by their boot straps and escape and overcome injustice by saving the galaxy? If you’re set on the orphanage route to greatness then delve into her early life rather than glossing over it.
This lacked the time and patience to build a character with grit. What we get is a Mary Sue with a Karen’s personality.
September 18, 2025
I enjoyed this one. It’s easy to dismiss as military space opera, but there is more to it. There is some terrific world building, and a good story. I was a bit disappointed with the descriptions of the main characters, visually there was very little, Nbaro was described as brown (with green eyes), and no more for Drake, she had freckles. Details of the ship abounded on the other hand. What the book did have was very sharp dialogue, and I very much liked how we got Nbaro’s private thoughts in italics, that was great.
It was very difficult to put down. Similar perhaps to Vatta’s war and The Serrano Legacy by Elizabeth Moon, and also maybe The Expanse.
It got stuck on my Kindle for a long time, which was a mistake; I will certainly be reading the next one soon.
Note on second reading.
It was just as good, or better the second time. I had to read it again, because it's long and complicated, so I'm ready for book no.2
I raised the rating to five, it really is ever so good, like a mix of The Serrano Legacy and Quarter share, but better than both.
It was very difficult to put down. Similar perhaps to Vatta’s war and The Serrano Legacy by Elizabeth Moon, and also maybe The Expanse.
It got stuck on my Kindle for a long time, which was a mistake; I will certainly be reading the next one soon.
Note on second reading.
It was just as good, or better the second time. I had to read it again, because it's long and complicated, so I'm ready for book no.2
I raised the rating to five, it really is ever so good, like a mix of The Serrano Legacy and Quarter share, but better than both.
October 27, 2021
Enjoyable, but looong!
A space opera that follows main character Marca Nbaro when she falsifies her papers to board the Athens as a trainee officer. We get to see how hard she has to work, the many courses and sims she must take as the massive ship travels from one station to another.
Then there is news of the destruction of a similar ship, which sends the financial markets into a spin as the entire shipment of the wonder material xenoglas was destroyed with the ship. Armour and many other components of items are made with xenoglas so everyone is worried. Then, another of the mega ships is destroyed, and Athens is also targeted in an attack. Someone is attempting to prevent the trade of xenoglas, and much of the remainder of the book is about how the mega ships must make their trades and evade destruction.
The main character is likeable, though a little part of me kind of felt that she was a little too good at everything she put her mind too, including being incredibly, weirdly lucky.
A space opera that follows main character Marca Nbaro when she falsifies her papers to board the Athens as a trainee officer. We get to see how hard she has to work, the many courses and sims she must take as the massive ship travels from one station to another.
Then there is news of the destruction of a similar ship, which sends the financial markets into a spin as the entire shipment of the wonder material xenoglas was destroyed with the ship. Armour and many other components of items are made with xenoglas so everyone is worried. Then, another of the mega ships is destroyed, and Athens is also targeted in an attack. Someone is attempting to prevent the trade of xenoglas, and much of the remainder of the book is about how the mega ships must make their trades and evade destruction.
The main character is likeable, though a little part of me kind of felt that she was a little too good at everything she put her mind too, including being incredibly, weirdly lucky.
May 29, 2022
Well, I tried. DNF, bailing at 38%, having been buried in another pile of minutia. But also, the MC is kind of Mary Sue sometimes (too perfect), but then compromised by past traumas. I feel like I am watching at a distance, and that adds to the boredom. Additionally, this author uses last names and first names randomly, which makes it harder to follow who's doing what.
If you like action adventure, this isn't that.
If you like action adventure, this isn't that.
Want to read
January 29, 2025Lots of good reviews from GR friends! Slightly mixed but sounds like my kind of book.
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