Reviewed by adamfortuna on
Much of what made this great was how meta it was. Almost like a darker version of Glaxy Quest.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 31 July, 2014: Finished reading
- 31 July, 2014: Reviewed
Redshirts (Hugo Award Winner - Best Novel)
by John Scalzi
'I can honestly say I can't think of another book that ever made me laugh this much. Ever' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, and Andrew is even more delighted when he's assigned to the ship's Xenobiology laboratory. Life couldn't be better ... although there are a few strange things going on:
(1) every Away Mission involves a lethal confrontation with alien forces
(2) the ship's captain, the chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these encounters
(3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.
Suddenly it's less surprising how much energy is expended below decks on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned an Away Mission. Andrew's fate may have been sealed ... until he stumbles on a piece of information that changes everything ... and offers him and his fellow redshirts a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives ...
Readers are crying with laughter at Redshirts:
'One of the best Star Trek novels without really being about Star Trek . . . a fine masterpiece of crafty reading' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'It's never a good thing to wear a red shirt in sci-fi . . . I am very impressed with how creative, funny and moving it is all at the same time. It pokes fun at cheesy sci-fi television while honouring it at the same time' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'It begins as a pretty funny, genre-aware, semi-parody of old school Star Trek . . . Slowly though, the flavour transitions into a more serious, meta-narrative quest' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Satirical without being mean or mocking, and it is extremely, laugh out loud funny. But rather than taking the easy way out, Mr Scalzi slowly takes the story in a very meta direction, but in doing so turns the story into something real and thought-provoking' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'I fell in love with all of the characters, their plight, and the plot, all equally . . . What fantastic fun this book was!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'The story veers in unexpected directions and becomes about fate and creativity and love and the dialogue a creator has with their creations. It was so unexpected and brilliant. This really was a laugh and cry read for me. I loved it' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Much of what made this great was how meta it was. Almost like a darker version of Glaxy Quest.