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Edward Ashton, Barclay Shaw: Mickey 7 (2023, Phantasia Press) 3 stars

Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living.

Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable …

Murderbot, but a little less

4 stars

This was a very engaging read that didn't break a lot of new ground, but did well with established sci-fi tropes. The protagonist was interesting, and there was a good, tight story.

I would say this was about 80% Murderbot and 20% Andy Weir. The core of the book was ideas I've seen used fairly frequently in sci-fi. There were some new ideas and world-building, but they weren't super well integrated in the story. Sometimes the narrator would just take a break from the action to spend a chapter talking about worldbuilding.

I didn't love the way the author wrote women. They were fickle and turned on people too easily. A lot of the book was about Mickey learning self-respect, but he never addressed how Nasha's teasing could read as cruelty. It also doesn't really reveal what Mickey 8's deal is. He seems different from Mickey 7 in ways that are never explained, although maybe that's just a way of saying the narrator is different when seen from the outside.

I'll read the sequel soon and am looking forward to the movie.

@CitizenCabe Hmm pretty interesting review, thanks for sharing it. I love a review that doesn't like gush about a book, but lets you know you'll probably enjoy if you go in with the right expectations.

Is there like a Murderbot sub genre emerging?? Because god knows, I could always use more murderbot in my life.

Sometimes the narrator would just take a break from the action to spend a chapter talking about worldbuilding.

This honestly sounds perfect to me. I find too much plot tiring.