Category Archives: Go/No-Go

Go/No-Go: Honor Among Thieves

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honor-among-theves-500x760Time for another installment of Go/No-Go, our spoiler-free, mission control-style look at whether or not you should put your hard-earned money down for a newly released book, film, comic or what have you. On the launchpad today is Empire and Rebellion: Honor Among Thieves by James S.A. Corey.

Bria’s take: SWEARHAT is an excellent successor to Razor’s Edge in that it keeps incredibly true to spirit of the Rebellion, the Original Trilogy, and (most importantly) the characters.  And just like Razor’s Edge before it, Honor Among Thieves is fun.  Like most of the books set between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, the need for a new Rebel base feeds into the plot.  This book manages to take that plot line and weave it in and out of the book’s main plot, keeping readers guessing as to where it’s actually going to go.  Not only did James S. A. Corey get Han and Leia dead on but they also created a new character, Scarlet Hark, who is an absolutely joy to read.  I would love to see her incorporated into more Rebellion and early New Republic era stories.  In short, this fast paced and well characterized story is a good addition to the Expanded Universe.  SWEARHAT gets a definite Go from me.

Brian’s take: SWEARHAT (Best acronym or BEST acronym?) is an extremely fast-paced and enjoyable adventure and a solid follow-up to Razor’s Edge. For one reason or another, Han Solo has been a character that has been hard to get right on page, but James S.A. Corey has gotten it pitch perfect. You can’t help but read the lines in Han’s voice because every mannerism and spoken line is just so Han. Of course, you’ve always gotten my attention when a well-rounded and compelling female character is introduced, and Scarlet Hark fits the bill. Overall this book is a zippy and enjoyable read and is well worth the pickup. All I can say is that when the Expanded Universe gets sorted out, I hope Del Rey brings James S.A. Corey back, because the duo clearly gets the franchise and it would be wonderful to see more from them. This is a Go from me as well.

Verdict: SWEARHAT is a go, so pick it up when it hits bookshelves tomorrow. Also stay tuned for a more full-length and spoiler-filled review.

Go/No-Go: The Jupiter Pirates: Hunt for the Hydra

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It’s hard to write a review of Jason C. Fry’s The Jupiter Pirates that isn’t just me saying “It’s really fun! Go read it!” But that’s the truth. It’s really fun. You should go read it.

In case you’re not willing to blindly follow my recommendations (and why not?), allow me to describe the book a bit more.

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Go/No-go: The Darwin Elevator

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Screen Shot 2013-07-29 at 10.00.44 AMThe Darwin Elevator, Jason M. Hough’s debut novel, features a large cast of characters, page-turning action sequences, alien technology, and a zombie-like plague. When I first heard the novel praised on Twitter, it seemed like something I should check out. Then I was lucky enough to win a signed copy by the author! What did I think?

I’ve seen The Darwin Elevator described as “popcorn science fiction”, and that’s definitely an apt way to put it. But that’s not to say the novel isn’t smart. Hough kept me guessing throughout the approximately 475 pages, and I never could figure out what was going to happen next. Most of the secondary characters, especially Tania Sharma and Samantha Rinn, are engaging and fun to read about. The main protagonist, Skyler Liuken, is adequate, but somewhat bland. I hope that changes in Books 2 and 3. And I wanted to punch the villain, Russell Blackfield, every time he appeared on the page.

This brings me to one thing I wasn’t entirely comfortable with: the rampant objectification of women. It’s not done in a glorifying way by any means, but rather to show how awful conditions in Darwin are, and how awful Blackfield is as a person. It certainly worked, considering how much I hated Blackfield by the end of the book. But some of it was a little over the top  and cliche, and made me a bit too uncomfortable.

All that said, The Darwin Elevator kept me engaged throughout and I definitely want to pick up the second and third novels in the trilogy, collectively known as The Dire Earth Cycle. I give it a GO.

Go/No-Go: Razor’s Edge by Martha Wells

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nasa-mission-control-3Welcome back to Go/No-Go, Tosche Station’s regular feature where we offer our spoiler-free opinion as to whether or not you should spend your hard-earned money on a book, film, or other entertainment. Today on the launch pad: Razor’s Edge by Martha Wells. Does the first of the new Empire and Rebellion series stack up? Time to go around the horn at mission control.

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Go/No-Go: Kenobi

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Welcome back to Go/No-Go, Tosche Station’s regular feature where we offer our spoiler-free opinion as to whether or not you should spend your hard-earned money on a book, film, or other entertainment. Today on the launch pad: Kenobi. Just how much will the staff like this western about Obi-Wan Kenobi adjusting to life in hiding and the residents of a small community on Tatooine? To mission control for the ruling!

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Go/No-Go: Pacific Rim

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Welcome back to Go/No-Go, Tosche Station’s regular feature where we offer our spoiler-free opinion as to whether or not you should spend your hard-earned money on a book, film, or other entertainment. Today on the launch pad: Pacific Rim. A film that features giant monsters and giant robots. Will this be a surprise hit with the staff, or is it just another all-flash, no-substance shallow popcorn flick? To mission control for the ruling!

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Go/No-go – Overdraft: The Orion Offensive

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overdraft-the-orion-offensive-john-jackson-millerThis week saw the release of the eighth and final installment of Overdraft: The Orion Offensive, a Kindle Serial by prolific Star Wars author John Jackson Miller. The Orion Offensive is Miller’s first novel set in an original universe and my first introduction to him as an author. I was already excited for his upcoming novel Kenobi, and after reading The Orion Offensive, I can’t wait for more original stories from him. More specific thoughts after the cut.

 

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Go/No-Go: Crucible

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Later tonight, we’ve got a pair of Crucible reviews that we’ll get posted. Until then, we want to try something new. Our reviews usually feature spoilers, and I’m certain a number of you wish to stay spoiler-free but also want to know if something we’re reviewing is something you should go out and buy right away. That’s why we’re introducing a new feature called Go/No-Go. What we’ll do is go around the horn Mission Control style and have the blog’s staff writers offer a brief, spoiler-free paragraph detailing whether or not they think a book, film, or other piece of entertainment is a Go or a No-Go to purchase.

First up on the launch pad: Crucible by Troy Denning

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