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Debatable Space
Artemis
Artemis McIvor is a thief, a con-artist, and a stone cold killer. And she's been on a crime-spree for, well, for years. The galactic government has collapsed and the universe was hers for the taking.
But when the cops finally catch up with her, they give Artemis a choice. Suffer in prison for the rest of her very long life, or join a crew of criminals, murderers, and traitors on a desperate mission to save humanity against an all-consuming threat.
Now, Artemis has to figure out how to be a good guy without forgetting who she really is.
But when the cops finally catch up with her, they give Artemis a choice. Suffer in prison for the rest of her very long life, or join a crew of criminals, murderers, and traitors on a desperate mission to save humanity against an all-consuming threat.
Now, Artemis has to figure out how to be a good guy without forgetting who she really is.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
15 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Philip Palmer
48 books55 followersI started writing when I was 14 and wrote a short story for the school magazine about a bank robber who is killed during a heist and goes to Heaven - can't get through the Pearly Gates, and has to break in. Nicely synthesising all the genres I still love to mash up...!
I wrote five 'widescreen' high-octane high concept SF novels for Orbit Books, including DEBATABLE SPACE and VERSION 43 - blending satire with action with lashings of dark humour.
Now I am writing for film and television as well as writing prose. My recent books include MORPHO, published by NewCon Press and HELL ON EARTH, a fantasy epic about demons and cops.
My most recent book is THE GREAT WEST WOOD, a fantasy set in the fictional suburb of Westood - an urban village which is full of magic . There's crime, there's murder, and there's even a floating boy - because in Westwood, anything is possible...
I wrote five 'widescreen' high-octane high concept SF novels for Orbit Books, including DEBATABLE SPACE and VERSION 43 - blending satire with action with lashings of dark humour.
Now I am writing for film and television as well as writing prose. My recent books include MORPHO, published by NewCon Press and HELL ON EARTH, a fantasy epic about demons and cops.
My most recent book is THE GREAT WEST WOOD, a fantasy set in the fictional suburb of Westood - an urban village which is full of magic . There's crime, there's murder, and there's even a floating boy - because in Westwood, anything is possible...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 19, 2013
Reaction #1 -- The brain exhaustion I feel right now must be the sensory exhaustion one would feel after an all encompassing hours long orgy at the dirtiest, grimiest, sexiest sex club in town. Artemis, you see, is an orgy in itself. It's an orgy of blood and guys and cyborg compartments and circuitry and magma genocide and black hole genocide and godlike being genocide and quantum death. It is an orgy of violence in every shape and form one can imagine and even shapes and forms I've never imagined and perhaps some shapes and forms no one but Philip Palmer has imagined. I am pretty sure there has never been a book with the body count of Artemis. It's disgusting. Really. Palmer should be ashamed of himself. I know I am of myself.
Reaction #2 -- What's not to love about Palmer's eponymous character, Dr. Artemis McIvor? Plenty, actually, but I imagine anyone who reads this book will be captivated by her strength and bad-assery and intelligence and honesty and cool powers and her determination and her individuality. And I imagine it would be hard not to see her as a strong female character, maybe even a great female character because of her strength. I certainly enjoyed reading her "thought diary and beaconspace blog," and I found her as compelling as the next psychopathic character. But I can't help being bothered by this too. Artemis is a character created by a man, after all, and her hyper-perfection at the classically male skills of genocide, murder, assault, and all forms of violence make me wonder if this is really, truly, what my mother's generation of feminists were hoping for. Was that what they wanted? To have characters (and people in the real world) whose power was the same sort of awful power that they knew was wrong and were fighting against, or was there another way they were striving for, a feminine way, that has been co-opted into a feminine masculinity that is just as nasty as the boys they were fighting against? I don't have the answer, but I am thinking of the questions, and this story has increased my discomfort about those questions.
Reaction #3 -- This would make a spectacular HBO or Showtime or Netflix series. An episodic retelling of this one 400 page Artemis tale, broken into four or five seasons would be magnificent. The action is breakneck, the violence is operatice, the terraformed planets and asteroid prisons could lower production costs, and the room left to jiggle and tweek and improve and expand upon fragmentary episodes within Palmer's narrative would make any head writer tremble with the delight of potential. We've plenty of kick ass fantasy out there. How about some nasty Sci-Fi? Bring it on, says I.
Reaction #2 -- What's not to love about Palmer's eponymous character, Dr. Artemis McIvor? Plenty, actually, but I imagine anyone who reads this book will be captivated by her strength and bad-assery and intelligence and honesty and cool powers and her determination and her individuality. And I imagine it would be hard not to see her as a strong female character, maybe even a great female character because of her strength. I certainly enjoyed reading her "thought diary and beaconspace blog," and I found her as compelling as the next psychopathic character. But I can't help being bothered by this too. Artemis is a character created by a man, after all, and her hyper-perfection at the classically male skills of genocide, murder, assault, and all forms of violence make me wonder if this is really, truly, what my mother's generation of feminists were hoping for. Was that what they wanted? To have characters (and people in the real world) whose power was the same sort of awful power that they knew was wrong and were fighting against, or was there another way they were striving for, a feminine way, that has been co-opted into a feminine masculinity that is just as nasty as the boys they were fighting against? I don't have the answer, but I am thinking of the questions, and this story has increased my discomfort about those questions.
Reaction #3 -- This would make a spectacular HBO or Showtime or Netflix series. An episodic retelling of this one 400 page Artemis tale, broken into four or five seasons would be magnificent. The action is breakneck, the violence is operatice, the terraformed planets and asteroid prisons could lower production costs, and the room left to jiggle and tweek and improve and expand upon fragmentary episodes within Palmer's narrative would make any head writer tremble with the delight of potential. We've plenty of kick ass fantasy out there. How about some nasty Sci-Fi? Bring it on, says I.
July 7, 2012
As with Debatable Space, there's a lot about this book that normally I would dislike. The narrative is less fragmentary, but this one has footnotes (which don't add much to the story) and the same amount of profanity, carnage, and incoherence. The characters are not exactly lovable. And, yet again, it won me over. It does have a different narrative voice, despite similarities; it does have moments where I connected with the characters, particularly the couple of cameos of characters from other books and their relationship to Artemis (I'll say no more). And there's the fact that Artemis is a librarian: she loves books. Though she's not as innocent as the mental image of a librarian you might get... And yes, the footnotes were okay: yes, they endeared themselves to me too -- they do add somewhat to the world-building; I got very interested in the editor-character and wanted to know more about them, too
It's, like Debatable Space, a rip-roaring adventure story that rarely slows down and gushes red with blood. There are epic battles and the safety of all mankind depends on it. The ending is satisfying, a perfect way to end it (except I still want to know more about the editor, and it is an entirely different perfect way to end the story to Debatable Space's perfect ending).
Suffice it to say that I really enjoyed this, and while it's similar to Debatable Space, it's not a copy either. There's fresh stuff here to keep you turning the pages. And even if it doesn't sound like something you'd be interested in, it might be worth giving it a try, because it certainly won me over.
It's, like Debatable Space, a rip-roaring adventure story that rarely slows down and gushes red with blood. There are epic battles and the safety of all mankind depends on it. The ending is satisfying, a perfect way to end it (except I still want to know more about the editor, and it is an entirely different perfect way to end the story to Debatable Space's perfect ending).
Suffice it to say that I really enjoyed this, and while it's similar to Debatable Space, it's not a copy either. There's fresh stuff here to keep you turning the pages. And even if it doesn't sound like something you'd be interested in, it might be worth giving it a try, because it certainly won me over.
November 21, 2023
This book suffers from inconsistent pacing, too much mixed timeline and pages of infodumb about worldbuilding. I didn't hate ot, I liked the protagonist and wanted to know what happened to her. But because of the narrative I gave up a book at page 200
2,5 stars
2,5 stars
June 9, 2012
Artemis was described like a stone-cold killer and a bookworm. That's why I bought the book. I thought that would be an awesome read, what could go wrong with that ?
Well, the description was maybe too good. Stone-cold, yes, understatement of the century.
It was very hard to empathize with Artemis. The book was cold. The first part "Revenge" is pretty much Artemis killing men one after the other (the part inside the prison and the escape were great though). The first few times it's kind of funny but after a while it's just boring. She has her reasons but since it's hard to feel anything for her, well, you stop to cheer for up real fast. After that, the violence felt a bit gratuitous.
The second and third parts are better but still, the writing felt cold, too detached.
Even when Artemis was crying or learned she was going to be a mother, I didn't feel anything from her. It seems to me she was just copying human emotions or maybe letting bodily needs/biological imperatives go through her. Whatever. Artemis is a stone-cold bitch. She says so herself. And she is 100% right.
The only death I really felt and that I found sad was the one of her friend Jimmi. I was sad for him and I had wanted him to live. The others ? I didn't care much.
And maybe in the last few pages, when she connects with Lena, she lose a bit of her coldness and seems a bit more human.
The footnotes were very annoying. IMO, they add nothing to the story but interruption. They're not even funny. I stop reading them all when I was half into the book.
The plot was very interesting though. I really enjoyed it. It was scary and somewhat believable. I have no doubt that humanity can be heinous and greedy and just plain horrible. The cyborgs and the vat and the flits... Life is meaningless in that universe. You're alive one minute and you're dead or worse than dead the next. Humanity colonize space but it got so dehumanized, it's very scary.
You never know who's going to die. And most of the time, it won't be for anything.
I like how Artemis communicate with the QRCs and is more comfortable with them than with people and I like how she was still fallible. I would have liked to see more of Rebus, but her meeting her mom was great (and I didn't see that coming - her reaction was so Artemis-ish and really funny in retrospective).
I want to read Debatable Space so I can learn more about Lena and Flanagan (I would probably have enjoyed more their appearance if I had read that one first. And maybe Version 43. I think a different narrator would work better for me, one I can connect with at least a little.
Well, the description was maybe too good. Stone-cold, yes, understatement of the century.
It was very hard to empathize with Artemis. The book was cold. The first part "Revenge" is pretty much Artemis killing men one after the other (the part inside the prison and the escape were great though). The first few times it's kind of funny but after a while it's just boring. She has her reasons but since it's hard to feel anything for her, well, you stop to cheer for up real fast. After that, the violence felt a bit gratuitous.
The second and third parts are better but still, the writing felt cold, too detached.
Even when Artemis was crying or learned she was going to be a mother, I didn't feel anything from her. It seems to me she was just copying human emotions or maybe letting bodily needs/biological imperatives go through her. Whatever. Artemis is a stone-cold bitch. She says so herself. And she is 100% right.
The only death I really felt and that I found sad was the one of her friend Jimmi. I was sad for him and I had wanted him to live. The others ? I didn't care much.
And maybe in the last few pages, when she connects with Lena, she lose a bit of her coldness and seems a bit more human.
The footnotes were very annoying. IMO, they add nothing to the story but interruption. They're not even funny. I stop reading them all when I was half into the book.
The plot was very interesting though. I really enjoyed it. It was scary and somewhat believable. I have no doubt that humanity can be heinous and greedy and just plain horrible. The cyborgs and the vat and the flits... Life is meaningless in that universe. You're alive one minute and you're dead or worse than dead the next. Humanity colonize space but it got so dehumanized, it's very scary.
You never know who's going to die. And most of the time, it won't be for anything.
I like how Artemis communicate with the QRCs and is more comfortable with them than with people and I like how she was still fallible. I would have liked to see more of Rebus, but her meeting her mom was great (and I didn't see that coming - her reaction was so Artemis-ish and really funny in retrospective).
I want to read Debatable Space so I can learn more about Lena and Flanagan (I would probably have enjoyed more their appearance if I had read that one first. And maybe Version 43. I think a different narrator would work better for me, one I can connect with at least a little.
May 26, 2012
I have to say, I really loved this book! This is a prime example of how to write a great SF book without drowning the reader in SF concepts. Palmer wove in the cool techie stuff without expounding on futuristic concept monologues.
Usually not a fan of first person, the author chose the perfect POV medium. Artemis's extreme personality and outrageous story called for first person. Only she could've told it and any other POV would've dampened the voice.
The pacing and rhythm of was beautiful. And I know how odd it is to use the word "beautiful" when the characters had the worst foul-mouths I've ever read. But again, the foul mouth called to the "world" setting and the character. Dampering it would've watered down the story.
Artemis herself is so imperfect and human. Authors sometimes try to excuse away their character's flaws that those characters lose realism. Artemis is f'd up, no doubt about it, but neither does she (nor Philip) apologize or reason it away. The perfect reluctant hero. This is what makes her 3 dimensional. Very refreshing in a story.
Usually not a fan of first person, the author chose the perfect POV medium. Artemis's extreme personality and outrageous story called for first person. Only she could've told it and any other POV would've dampened the voice.
The pacing and rhythm of was beautiful. And I know how odd it is to use the word "beautiful" when the characters had the worst foul-mouths I've ever read. But again, the foul mouth called to the "world" setting and the character. Dampering it would've watered down the story.
Artemis herself is so imperfect and human. Authors sometimes try to excuse away their character's flaws that those characters lose realism. Artemis is f'd up, no doubt about it, but neither does she (nor Philip) apologize or reason it away. The perfect reluctant hero. This is what makes her 3 dimensional. Very refreshing in a story.
May 11, 2025
perhaps not objectively a 5 star book but I loved it, flaws and all, and I am a tough audience esp when male authors write women protagonists
genuinely want to know what Artemis does next, she’s very cool
genuinely want to know what Artemis does next, she’s very cool
February 21, 2015
With every novel, Philip Palmer is going from strength to strength. I've not always enjoyed his writing style, but his eye for a story is wonderful and his imagination is seemingly endless. Every time I open one of his novels, I wonder when he will find the limits of his inventiveness and it's never that time. ''Artemis'' is no exception to that rule.
''Artemis'' is written as the thought diary of Dr Artemis McIvor, presented here for publication. She starts by breaking out of prison, before taking revenge on her former lover and betrayer Daxox and then joining the Government to help them win a war. It sounds quite simple put like this, but Palmer's strength has always been in the detail with which he fleshes out a relatively simple idea and he's certainly done that well here.
I've criticised Palmer's writing style in the past, as his way of switching between characters in an almost chick-lit style hasn't always sat well within the science fiction genre. Here, the narrator is entirely Artemis, so there is just the single point of view, which I feel works so much better. Even better is that, because the novel is presented as her thought diary, there are a number of digressions and tangents, which work wonderfully as she wanders away from her subject, occasionally hauling herself back, sometimes not. There are some touches of humour as she checks herself and some interesting roads to follow when she doesn't.
The format also allows for some amusing asides by the supposed editor of the book. I've read books where the footnotes can get rather annoying after a while, particularly in "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell" by Susanna Clarke, but here they add something. There are some snide comments and some sniping between characters which are also quite fun, but it is the addition of this editor who provided me with the moments in the book where I actually laughed aloud.
These moments are a welcome addition, as Artemis' life is largely one of violence. This often makes things unpleasant, but it does keep the pace of the story very high. Artemis' habit of shooting off in her mind in various different directions – occasionally all at once – also assists with the pacing. Her thought pattern can be sometimes chaotic, but this is part of the enjoyment and, indeed, the editor's footnotes, as well as providing amusement, are often the only chance the reader gets to pause and draw breath.
If there is a downside, it comes later in the book when we are introduced to a couple of characters from Palmer's debut, "Debatable Space". As someone who has read that novel, this was like bumping into an old friend you've not seen for ages, but for a newcomer to Palmer, the lack of explanation and the suddenness of their appearance may leave the reader feeling that they're missing out on something. For me, this was only a minor hiccup, but even I felt as if I'd been shaken out of the moment slightly and it was a little while before I settled down to the idea of having them there.
Mostly, however, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Palmer's creative ability isn't as wild here as when he was creating aliens for "Hell Ship", but he's still managed to come up with some wonderfully inventive ideas. The whole character of Majalara proves that he's not lost his touch in that regard and he's still got some great ideas in how to allow a character to meet their demise, with the mis-flitting accidents being my personal favourites.
''Artemis'' is another great read and another step forward for Philip Palmer. Viewing it alongside "Debatable Space" shows exactly how far he has come. Whilst that wasn't a bad book, he has nearly everything right here, with narration and pacing both spot on. It's a shame there was that minor bump with the sudden appearance of a couple of characters without introduction, but by and large this was a smooth journey and it's a journey well worth taking.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
''Artemis'' is written as the thought diary of Dr Artemis McIvor, presented here for publication. She starts by breaking out of prison, before taking revenge on her former lover and betrayer Daxox and then joining the Government to help them win a war. It sounds quite simple put like this, but Palmer's strength has always been in the detail with which he fleshes out a relatively simple idea and he's certainly done that well here.
I've criticised Palmer's writing style in the past, as his way of switching between characters in an almost chick-lit style hasn't always sat well within the science fiction genre. Here, the narrator is entirely Artemis, so there is just the single point of view, which I feel works so much better. Even better is that, because the novel is presented as her thought diary, there are a number of digressions and tangents, which work wonderfully as she wanders away from her subject, occasionally hauling herself back, sometimes not. There are some touches of humour as she checks herself and some interesting roads to follow when she doesn't.
The format also allows for some amusing asides by the supposed editor of the book. I've read books where the footnotes can get rather annoying after a while, particularly in "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell" by Susanna Clarke, but here they add something. There are some snide comments and some sniping between characters which are also quite fun, but it is the addition of this editor who provided me with the moments in the book where I actually laughed aloud.
These moments are a welcome addition, as Artemis' life is largely one of violence. This often makes things unpleasant, but it does keep the pace of the story very high. Artemis' habit of shooting off in her mind in various different directions – occasionally all at once – also assists with the pacing. Her thought pattern can be sometimes chaotic, but this is part of the enjoyment and, indeed, the editor's footnotes, as well as providing amusement, are often the only chance the reader gets to pause and draw breath.
If there is a downside, it comes later in the book when we are introduced to a couple of characters from Palmer's debut, "Debatable Space". As someone who has read that novel, this was like bumping into an old friend you've not seen for ages, but for a newcomer to Palmer, the lack of explanation and the suddenness of their appearance may leave the reader feeling that they're missing out on something. For me, this was only a minor hiccup, but even I felt as if I'd been shaken out of the moment slightly and it was a little while before I settled down to the idea of having them there.
Mostly, however, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Palmer's creative ability isn't as wild here as when he was creating aliens for "Hell Ship", but he's still managed to come up with some wonderfully inventive ideas. The whole character of Majalara proves that he's not lost his touch in that regard and he's still got some great ideas in how to allow a character to meet their demise, with the mis-flitting accidents being my personal favourites.
''Artemis'' is another great read and another step forward for Philip Palmer. Viewing it alongside "Debatable Space" shows exactly how far he has come. Whilst that wasn't a bad book, he has nearly everything right here, with narration and pacing both spot on. It's a shame there was that minor bump with the sudden appearance of a couple of characters without introduction, but by and large this was a smooth journey and it's a journey well worth taking.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
April 29, 2012
Having read two of Palmer's novels, and really liking the other(Version 43), I thought this one was very disappointing. The same Over! The! Top! sf-pulp hyberbole is there, but the prose is still stiff and awkward. This poses two problems, relative to Version 43: 1)the main character is not a robot, so there's no excuse for it and 2)it suggests that Palmer is just not very good at and/or interested in putting together a good sentence. 'It's true!'
Moreover, the clever bits and structural twists he excels at are lost when placed in a far less coherent structure. The Big! Bigger! Biggest! progression of Version 43 is replaced with Stuff! That! Happens! That this is done on purpose, as a deliberately, self-consciously picaresque story, does mean that it works. Not everything has to be organized and clear-cut, but it has to serve some purpose.
I don't know if I'm explaining this well at all, but frankly it's not worth the effort. Short verion: if you are curious about Palmer, read this one first-- http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....
Moreover, the clever bits and structural twists he excels at are lost when placed in a far less coherent structure. The Big! Bigger! Biggest! progression of Version 43 is replaced with Stuff! That! Happens! That this is done on purpose, as a deliberately, self-consciously picaresque story, does mean that it works. Not everything has to be organized and clear-cut, but it has to serve some purpose.
I don't know if I'm explaining this well at all, but frankly it's not worth the effort. Short verion: if you are curious about Palmer, read this one first-- http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....
August 28, 2017
This book has maybe the best first lines ever
I loved this! It was like Neal Asher on coke. Faster, and more emotional. The books is written as a historical document from the future (the fictional diary of Artemis), which makes it character-driven rather than action-based. Don't get me wrong - there are fast pacing battles as well. There is a lot of depth to the MC and I certainly connected with her which for me is a major factor into how much I will enjoy a book.
I will be reading more of this author. Either Hell Ship or Version 43? The latter seems to be more liked, but I love the idea behind Hell Ship.
[Update 25/01/17: Read and enjoyed Hell Ship, though it was less emotional for me than Artemis]
Chapter 1
Prison Break
“Fuck you,” I said, then walked into the kitchen. Picked up the mug of scalding hot water. And threw it over my own face.
It hurt. A lot.
I could feel my skin melting.
I began to scream.
I loved this! It was like Neal Asher on coke. Faster, and more emotional. The books is written as a historical document from the future (the fictional diary of Artemis), which makes it character-driven rather than action-based. Don't get me wrong - there are fast pacing battles as well. There is a lot of depth to the MC and I certainly connected with her which for me is a major factor into how much I will enjoy a book.
I will be reading more of this author. Either Hell Ship or Version 43? The latter seems to be more liked, but I love the idea behind Hell Ship.
[Update 25/01/17: Read and enjoyed Hell Ship, though it was less emotional for me than Artemis]
July 1, 2024
Re-read. Dreiteilige Geschichte über eine Frau, die in einer sehr kriegerischen Zukunft sehr viele gewaltvolle Abenteuer erlebt. Sehr überdreht actionreich, durchaus unterhaltsam, auch durch die Fußnoten des fiktiven Editors, aber insgesamt einfach ein bisschen wurscht und das Ende war unnötig - ein Cyborg weniger hätte es auch getan.
June 11, 2013
A bit of spoilers maybe.
Philip Palmer didn't really make a big effort here. He showed us the same universe as in Debatable Space (not a problem) he wrote of the same carnage as usual (again millions of scentient species exterminated, billions of humans killed, lots of people tortured). And the main character was a wining annoying obnoxious bitch who reminded me of Lena from Debatable space and guess what (spoiler): it turns out she's her daughter.
The story doesn't build up anything. It just goes and then if it needs something, it's just there: the heroin is in danger of being killed? No problem, did I tell you I had an augmented body and spikes in my hands and super reflexes? We're all trapped in a prison? No problem, the heroin can open all doors thanks to a link to the planet's quantum computer! The whole crew of the ship will die a horrible death? No problem the heroin can teleport the whole bunch out (even though teleportation is not yet properly invented).
And then in the second part of the book there always came some new info about her, nothing built up, just thrown in there to save the day.
Very disappointing after a while.
And there were some big twists in the end that werenot plausible at all, not interesting, and not really twists to the story, just some more info that explaines something that needs explaining.
Philip Palmer didn't really make a big effort here. He showed us the same universe as in Debatable Space (not a problem) he wrote of the same carnage as usual (again millions of scentient species exterminated, billions of humans killed, lots of people tortured). And the main character was a wining annoying obnoxious bitch who reminded me of Lena from Debatable space and guess what (spoiler): it turns out she's her daughter.
The story doesn't build up anything. It just goes and then if it needs something, it's just there: the heroin is in danger of being killed? No problem, did I tell you I had an augmented body and spikes in my hands and super reflexes? We're all trapped in a prison? No problem, the heroin can open all doors thanks to a link to the planet's quantum computer! The whole crew of the ship will die a horrible death? No problem the heroin can teleport the whole bunch out (even though teleportation is not yet properly invented).
And then in the second part of the book there always came some new info about her, nothing built up, just thrown in there to save the day.
Very disappointing after a while.
And there were some big twists in the end that werenot plausible at all, not interesting, and not really twists to the story, just some more info that explaines something that needs explaining.
July 29, 2014
Slogged through a fair amount of this book, just couldn't make it. Didn't really find any hook to get into it. Lots of violence but for the first two sections, who cares? That's how far I made it, by the way, the prison section than her multiple murder/revenge section.
September 3, 2022
Artemis McIver is a psychopath and serial killer, so she fits right in with the Palmer Universe. Before she became a serial killer she was a serial victim, spending almost 10 years as a sex slave. Then she breaks free and goes on a revenge killing spree, which she is very good at because she is a mutant freak with body augments on top of that. And she really likes killing people. She goes to prison. She gets drafted into the army. Lots and lots of killing. And I'm not entirely sure that this is all in the right order because the book jumps all over the place timewise. There are extended flashbacks and extended flashforwards and not much linear progression. There is, however, a lot of very graphic violence and wholesale killing. Lots of killing.
Then she gets magic powers.
Which is totally normal in these books. The main character seems to have gotten into a hole they can't get out of and then suddenly they discover a whole new branch of physics, or meet a super powerful alien species, or get magic powers. It doesn't much matter because the galactic war or whatever is just background to the extended character study which is the focus.
It's a good romp with lots of action, plenty of gore, totally unlikeable characters with severe psychological problems, and ridiculous aliens which are just there to be killed. It's fun, but a bit too much when your super powered heroine gets a dramatic power up. She was already capable of killing dozens of heavily armed and armored super soldiers single handedly, isn't that enough?
Then she gets magic powers.
Which is totally normal in these books. The main character seems to have gotten into a hole they can't get out of and then suddenly they discover a whole new branch of physics, or meet a super powerful alien species, or get magic powers. It doesn't much matter because the galactic war or whatever is just background to the extended character study which is the focus.
It's a good romp with lots of action, plenty of gore, totally unlikeable characters with severe psychological problems, and ridiculous aliens which are just there to be killed. It's fun, but a bit too much when your super powered heroine gets a dramatic power up. She was already capable of killing dozens of heavily armed and armored super soldiers single handedly, isn't that enough?
July 13, 2019
Ahem. A guilty pleasure. Pure unadulterated violence but Artemis is such a compelling character somehow? And there are so many thought provoking aspects to this book that I still think about some of them often despite viewing this book as kind of pulpy, not terrible deep feel-good sci-fi
Yeah. All the mixed feelings.
Yeah. All the mixed feelings.
June 9, 2017
Liked it, but took a put-down-and-pick-up or two to get through. Not tight as Red Claw or as engaging as Debatable Space, but a good snarky space romp.
June 28, 2017
I struggled through this book because I thought there had to be something redeeming in it. Nope. Violent, and she's mean and cold, and there's really no character development. Nothing.
August 13, 2018
Sure got a lot of "stinkers" all in a row!
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May 17, 2020Didn't finish. Almost half way through and honestly I have no idea what it's about and can't say I care to find out
December 20, 2023
A fun and wild story that does not hold its punches, if a little slow in places.
July 23, 2014
Artemis by Philip Palmer is a sort of sequel to his wonderful debut Debatable Spaces. In small doses, I greatly enjoy Philip Palmer's cinematic style prose and ultra-violent sf, while his fractured prose brings a change from the usual genre conservativeness. But here it lies also the problem with his books, namely that all too often there is an element of artificiality, of "this is a Matrix like game" that tends to take away the enjoyment a little.
Still, Artemis was a page turner for most of its length and while I felt the book did not cohere well enough - maybe it tried too hard to tie up too many loose ends and lots of stuff that came as "big revelations" felt forced imho - I would still recommend it for the great "kick butt and take no prisoners" heroine of the title and the sense of closure it brings to the Debatable Spaces action too.
Still, Artemis was a page turner for most of its length and while I felt the book did not cohere well enough - maybe it tried too hard to tie up too many loose ends and lots of stuff that came as "big revelations" felt forced imho - I would still recommend it for the great "kick butt and take no prisoners" heroine of the title and the sense of closure it brings to the Debatable Spaces action too.
January 2, 2013
I'm going to be very lazy and refer you to Liviu's review here - I enjoyed the book very much but the breathless picaresque romp of it all carried on just a gnat's too long, in the end, and I'm not as enamoured of the tie-in with Debatable Space as others seem to be. Enjoyed it, but it wasn't necessary to the enjoyment of the book per se - touch of the over-egged pudding perhaps. Nevertheless, still love Palmer's style and vision; ideas out the wazoo, real and touching characters, and in the final analysis funny as hell. More please.
May 4, 2015
I wouldn't have thought of myself as a prude. But "Artemis" didn't engage me simply because of the unnecessary swearing and the over-the-top violence. It was too unbelievable! Like watching a movie where all of the bad guys are completely hopeless shots who couldn't hit a barn door with a howitzer and yet the main characters are able to mow them down as though they were literally mowing! I'm prepared to give Palmer another chance but if it reads the same then I won't be bothering again after that. Just silly!
January 12, 2013
Tongue-in-cheek splatterpunk space opera with a serial revenge plot holding it together (think Kill Bill or Best Served Cold) but also plenty of detours and fake-outs. A brisk read in spite of its length.
April 19, 2014
I think I've said it before, but Palmer books would make amazing movies by Quinten Tarantino.
Artemis is highly entertaining. Fans of Debatable Space will love this. Fans of organized crime might really dig this. So good!
Artemis is highly entertaining. Fans of Debatable Space will love this. Fans of organized crime might really dig this. So good!
June 17, 2012
Classic Philip Palmer! Awesome read.
September 29, 2014
Full of gimmicks and missing the substance to make it engaging.
February 12, 2013
I loved this book. I read a review that called it Tarantinoesque. The closest novel I have read to Tarantino.
Read
June 2, 2013Once was enough. Possibly great for young teenagers
July 23, 2014
Cracking read! Hugely enjoyable Sci-Fi tale. Artemis makes for a bold and intriguing heroine; some excellent action set pieces and a nice bit of a twist at the end.
February 20, 2015
Well.. It was really really good at first. The style was engaging.. It lost me toward the end but it was still enjoyable.
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