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Haywire
A century ago, super-soldiers known as Titans drove alien invaders from the solar system and back to their home world. Now the Titans have returned, infected by a virus and compelled to destroy humanity. Will a scholar, her son, and the only Titan able to resist the infection find a way to stop them and save humanity from its own greatest weapon?
Advance Praise for Justin R. Macumber and Haywire
“A thrilling chase through a superbly realized solar system. Enhanced warriors, space pirates, galactic threats and more make this a powerful debut from a strong new voice in speculative fiction.” – Alan Baxter, author of RealmShift and MageSign
“An action-packed sci-fi thriller that will keep you up late into the night!”- David Wood, author of The Zombie-Driven Life and the Dane Maddock Adventures
Advance Praise for Justin R. Macumber and Haywire
“A thrilling chase through a superbly realized solar system. Enhanced warriors, space pirates, galactic threats and more make this a powerful debut from a strong new voice in speculative fiction.” – Alan Baxter, author of RealmShift and MageSign
“An action-packed sci-fi thriller that will keep you up late into the night!”- David Wood, author of The Zombie-Driven Life and the Dane Maddock Adventures
- GenresScience Fiction
276 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2012
5 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 31, 2012
The summary doesn’t do this book justice – at all. Sure, it definitely is about a fight for survival against ruthless, crazed super soldiers, but I was surprised and really impressed that, somehow, Macumber also managed to seamlessly weave a crime caper, a historical mystery, and a pretty good space opera into it all at the same time, while also including quite a few human elements that made this book nearly unputdownable.
Since I could probably fill pages with all the awesome stuff that impressed me, I’ll list the couple of small things that bugged me first. The first chapter and a half are the hardest to read, near the end of chapter two I was dreading that this book was going to be hard to follow or bland – big mistake on my part. The problem? I’m not normally one who insists on prologues, but I definitely feel that chapter one should’ve been the prologue instead. Every chapter of this book’s a transition from one character’s point of view to another’s, but that first transition from chapter one to two is quite jarring and doesn’t really mesh well with the subsequent chapters. The tone, content, language, etc. changes so much that I feel a prologue to chapter one transition would be more appropriate.
The other thing I noticed was that, while the book obviously happens in the future, a lot of the technology and culture appears to be fairly close to modern day stuff. A shuttle from Mars feels just like the airline flight I can take tomorrow, the main characters live in a townhouse on a Jovian moon, etc. While I’m appreciative of everything being (intentionally?) so familiar and easy to understand, I have to wonder about a lunar habitat having a downtown … really minor quibble though.
Otherwise, this book is great. It’s fast paced and action packed, with just enough character moments interspersed through the plot to make the characters relatable and real. Normally, flipping through so many characters’ points of view can be hard, but it's great how everyone’s stories were relevant to the plot and tied together so well. And yet at the same time, the chapters at the beginning featuring the scholar turned out to be a very thrilling crime caper (break-ins and everything!), the later chapters with her investigator boyfriend was a very intriguing crime story, and then the book became a historical investigation and space warfare from other characters’ points of view. I’m still amazed at how well all these different storylines came together into such a coherent and compelling plot.
Best of all, this book has some genuinely great characters. Alicia, Shawn, and Artemis (the three characters in aforementioned the summary) were personable and relatable; each of them has a purpose that just made me want to follow them through the story. But they’re not the only ones. The entire cast of characters were all interconnected, everyone had their moment and nobody feels superfluous. It’s a rare book that gives even a few of the redshirt security officers a compelling line or two before they’re shot in the head. Solid four stars.
Since I could probably fill pages with all the awesome stuff that impressed me, I’ll list the couple of small things that bugged me first. The first chapter and a half are the hardest to read, near the end of chapter two I was dreading that this book was going to be hard to follow or bland – big mistake on my part. The problem? I’m not normally one who insists on prologues, but I definitely feel that chapter one should’ve been the prologue instead. Every chapter of this book’s a transition from one character’s point of view to another’s, but that first transition from chapter one to two is quite jarring and doesn’t really mesh well with the subsequent chapters. The tone, content, language, etc. changes so much that I feel a prologue to chapter one transition would be more appropriate.
The other thing I noticed was that, while the book obviously happens in the future, a lot of the technology and culture appears to be fairly close to modern day stuff. A shuttle from Mars feels just like the airline flight I can take tomorrow, the main characters live in a townhouse on a Jovian moon, etc. While I’m appreciative of everything being (intentionally?) so familiar and easy to understand, I have to wonder about a lunar habitat having a downtown … really minor quibble though.
Otherwise, this book is great. It’s fast paced and action packed, with just enough character moments interspersed through the plot to make the characters relatable and real. Normally, flipping through so many characters’ points of view can be hard, but it's great how everyone’s stories were relevant to the plot and tied together so well. And yet at the same time, the chapters at the beginning featuring the scholar turned out to be a very thrilling crime caper (break-ins and everything!), the later chapters with her investigator boyfriend was a very intriguing crime story, and then the book became a historical investigation and space warfare from other characters’ points of view. I’m still amazed at how well all these different storylines came together into such a coherent and compelling plot.
Best of all, this book has some genuinely great characters. Alicia, Shawn, and Artemis (the three characters in aforementioned the summary) were personable and relatable; each of them has a purpose that just made me want to follow them through the story. But they’re not the only ones. The entire cast of characters were all interconnected, everyone had their moment and nobody feels superfluous. It’s a rare book that gives even a few of the redshirt security officers a compelling line or two before they’re shot in the head. Solid four stars.
May 29, 2012
I’ve known about Justin Macumber for a couple of years, having been a fan of the Dead Robots Society podcast that he co-hosts. Until this year though, I hadn’t read any of his fiction. When I found out that he had a book called Haywire coming out I was naturally interested in what it was like. He had spent two years or thereabouts talking about writing, his progress and process, and interviewing some truly excellent people in the business. I wanted to know if any of that wisdom had rubbed off on him. I’m happy to say that it looks like it did.
Before I get into the why and wherefores, let me tell you a little about the book. Humanity was on the brink of destruction thanks to a race known as the Hezrin. Thanks to one man’s brilliance and the bravery of a host of men and women they were able to push them back. The invention of nanites turned these soldiers into practically unstoppable forces known as the Titans. A century passes and the Titans have passed into memory. A band of space pirates, wannabe young rocker Shawn Campbell, and his Titan obsessed mother Dr. Alicia Campbell discover that forgotten does not mean gone. One of the Titans returns with a horror story. The Hezrin were defeated, but left behind a virus that has turned the quasi-deities into bloodthirsty monsters and now they’re on their way home with destruction on their minds.
From there, chaos, explosions, chases, and general mayhem ensue. If this were a movie it would be a balls to the wall action set piece, but that’s not all. There’s a heart under all of the spectacle. The relationship between Shawn and his mother is anything but healthy. It’s complicated by divorce and a new boyfriend in her life (and by all the impending doom). Watching them rebuild it is believable and touching. Shawn is also called upon by the emergency to sacrifice a great deal with the potential of losing everything and everyone he cares about. His struggle is mammoth.
There are little moments in this story that are great too. A couple of interactions between the space pirates (I can’t type the phrase “space pirates” enough) are great. I’d actually like to see a book about them. There’s also a scene between Dr. Campbell’s assistant and her boyfriend that sticks with me. So in addition to writing some excellent action, Justin is also good at developing characters that you care about.
Is there anything I didn’t like about the book? There are a few nitpicky things. The discovery of the secret labs seemed a little too easy. Either they should have been harder to discover, or they should have been discovered previously and their contents misunderstood. Probably the former since the Doctor was so far ahead of his time. The key to conquering the Titans also struck me as easily mass produced. That did get balanced out by the difficulty and cost of actually deploying it, though. The last thing, conveniently, is the last thing.
The ending bugs me a little. The end of the last chapter would have been a suitable ending, if a bit dark. After that, Justin gives us an epilogue that’s much more upbeat. It feels a little tacked on, though I will say that it’s the ending I expected given the set up. I’m fairly certain it’s the ending we’re meant to be given, but it’s less than satisfying somehow. I suppose it’s because in a story full of messy, real seeming characters and situations, it’s a little too neat.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and would encourage you to run out and buy a copy. Justin has a bright future as a writer and I look forward to this being the first of many stories he will bring to his audience. I give it a solid four out of five stars.
Before I get into the why and wherefores, let me tell you a little about the book. Humanity was on the brink of destruction thanks to a race known as the Hezrin. Thanks to one man’s brilliance and the bravery of a host of men and women they were able to push them back. The invention of nanites turned these soldiers into practically unstoppable forces known as the Titans. A century passes and the Titans have passed into memory. A band of space pirates, wannabe young rocker Shawn Campbell, and his Titan obsessed mother Dr. Alicia Campbell discover that forgotten does not mean gone. One of the Titans returns with a horror story. The Hezrin were defeated, but left behind a virus that has turned the quasi-deities into bloodthirsty monsters and now they’re on their way home with destruction on their minds.
From there, chaos, explosions, chases, and general mayhem ensue. If this were a movie it would be a balls to the wall action set piece, but that’s not all. There’s a heart under all of the spectacle. The relationship between Shawn and his mother is anything but healthy. It’s complicated by divorce and a new boyfriend in her life (and by all the impending doom). Watching them rebuild it is believable and touching. Shawn is also called upon by the emergency to sacrifice a great deal with the potential of losing everything and everyone he cares about. His struggle is mammoth.
There are little moments in this story that are great too. A couple of interactions between the space pirates (I can’t type the phrase “space pirates” enough) are great. I’d actually like to see a book about them. There’s also a scene between Dr. Campbell’s assistant and her boyfriend that sticks with me. So in addition to writing some excellent action, Justin is also good at developing characters that you care about.
Is there anything I didn’t like about the book? There are a few nitpicky things. The discovery of the secret labs seemed a little too easy. Either they should have been harder to discover, or they should have been discovered previously and their contents misunderstood. Probably the former since the Doctor was so far ahead of his time. The key to conquering the Titans also struck me as easily mass produced. That did get balanced out by the difficulty and cost of actually deploying it, though. The last thing, conveniently, is the last thing.
The ending bugs me a little. The end of the last chapter would have been a suitable ending, if a bit dark. After that, Justin gives us an epilogue that’s much more upbeat. It feels a little tacked on, though I will say that it’s the ending I expected given the set up. I’m fairly certain it’s the ending we’re meant to be given, but it’s less than satisfying somehow. I suppose it’s because in a story full of messy, real seeming characters and situations, it’s a little too neat.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and would encourage you to run out and buy a copy. Justin has a bright future as a writer and I look forward to this being the first of many stories he will bring to his audience. I give it a solid four out of five stars.
September 13, 2012
3.5 stars - I'm rounding down, but I admit, part of it was probably because I lost the momentum and the details from the first half of the book were not as fresh to me when I took such a long a break. I had to stop for the night and just got sidetracked with everything else.
My friend had recommended this book to me so I can try an adult sci-fi novel. After reading Chapters 1 and 3, I was afraid I was in way over my head. Thank goodness the verbiage became easier to read, and I found myself enjoying this book quite a bit.
I enjoyed reading about the world that Macumber has created - the Titans playing the dual role as killers and protectors, the Hezrin and the reign, the virus and how it broke down the Titans in body and mind to where it indirectly became a human problem, and this massive network of different agencies that came together to bring readers such a climatic end.
The book was just filled with action. But for a newbie like me, however, it may have been a little bit too much.
There was just an awful lot going on and so many players involved - the Titans and the Hezrin, the Alliance and the SWAT the Union, the Marines or was it the Navy (both were mentioned), the pirates, the Crimson King, the researchers like Dr. Hofstadter and the late Dr. Groesbeck, the Campbells, as well as all of the other characters that I'm not sure which group they fall into.
While this helped keep the pacing up and there was never a dull moment, I just felt right when I was ready to settle down with a scene, the book had moved along and left me behind. But the action kept me intrigued, even though I felt a bit disoriented from the chaos.
The last line was pretty cool. "Despite the heavy gravity, his steps were as light as air." It was just one of those closing remarks that one thinks of and holds on to it for safekeeping until just the right place for it.
The end may not have been a perfect happily ever after end, but it made a lot of sense, and I liked how the epilogue just tied everything together to make up for the bloodshed in the previous chapters.
For me, the most interesting part of this book was the nanites and Dr. Groesbeck's research, especially since he was so legendary and Dr. Campbell was so intrigued with the whole concept, and I didn't get as much of that as I would have liked. Still, I thought the book was overall good, and I did enjoy it quite a bit.
My friend had recommended this book to me so I can try an adult sci-fi novel. After reading Chapters 1 and 3, I was afraid I was in way over my head. Thank goodness the verbiage became easier to read, and I found myself enjoying this book quite a bit.
I enjoyed reading about the world that Macumber has created - the Titans playing the dual role as killers and protectors, the Hezrin and the reign, the virus and how it broke down the Titans in body and mind to where it indirectly became a human problem, and this massive network of different agencies that came together to bring readers such a climatic end.
The book was just filled with action. But for a newbie like me, however, it may have been a little bit too much.
There was just an awful lot going on and so many players involved - the Titans and the Hezrin, the Alliance and the SWAT the Union, the Marines or was it the Navy (both were mentioned), the pirates, the Crimson King, the researchers like Dr. Hofstadter and the late Dr. Groesbeck, the Campbells, as well as all of the other characters that I'm not sure which group they fall into.
While this helped keep the pacing up and there was never a dull moment, I just felt right when I was ready to settle down with a scene, the book had moved along and left me behind. But the action kept me intrigued, even though I felt a bit disoriented from the chaos.
The last line was pretty cool. "Despite the heavy gravity, his steps were as light as air." It was just one of those closing remarks that one thinks of and holds on to it for safekeeping until just the right place for it.
The end may not have been a perfect happily ever after end, but it made a lot of sense, and I liked how the epilogue just tied everything together to make up for the bloodshed in the previous chapters.
For me, the most interesting part of this book was the nanites and Dr. Groesbeck's research, especially since he was so legendary and Dr. Campbell was so intrigued with the whole concept, and I didn't get as much of that as I would have liked. Still, I thought the book was overall good, and I did enjoy it quite a bit.
January 30, 2015
Hello Justin Macumber... I think I love you.
Of course, I mean that in a completely platonic, hero worship kind of way. Actually, I've been a faithful listener to his Dead Robots Podcast for a year or so now, and so I was getting regular updates about the release of this novel and what he thought about it as he went through and edited the thing before its release.
Now, I've done the thing before where I either follow an author online, or listen to them via podcast before I read anything by them and it puts me in a weird position as a reader. I think diving into all the minutia of an author's online persona after you've become a fan is one thing, but to become a fan of the personality first can taint my enjoyment of what they write. It can also make me feel conflicted if I don't enjoy their story.
So, when I got this novel, I did put off reading it for a few weeks because I just didn't want to read and be disappointed. It would be horrible for me if that happened.
I needn't have worried. Justin Macumber is a pro. A real pro. This novel is tight, action packed, well plotted, and emotionally satisfying. It doesn't feel like a writer who still has a long ways to go to tell a compelling story. He's arrived.
The plot itself is great. The Titans, super-soldiers created to fend off a alien force that threatened to destroy humanity a century ago have gone off into the larger galaxy to hunt down and destroy those that tried to exterminate humanity. But while out there, they become the victims of a nano-virus that turns these super-soldiers to to rampaging mad men, and they return to the Sol system hell bent on destroying everything here.
All that is backstory, and doesn't serve as a spoiler I don't think. The rest is what happens when a single Titan escaped the nano-virus and comes to the Sol system to warn humanity that destruction is coming just behind. This super soldier ends up in the hands of space pirates and ends up helping a mother and son that have been kidnapped by those same pirates.
In all, the story rocked.
That said, I did have a few problems with the story, mostly I had a hard time buying that humanity, after being almost wiped from existence by a genocidal alien race, would immediately disarm themselves just after the enemy retreats. That seems horribly illogical, and very unlikely. The author mentioned one military commander's frustration at the situation, and I couldn't agree more. I can't imagine any society being so compelled to get rid of their weapons after such a close call. I mean, there was some mention that much of the damage to the solar system was due to a 'scorched earth' campaign humanity enacted during that initial invasion where they nuked most of their own people instead of letting them fall to their new enemy - but it just didn't make sense to me. I would expect the military to have an unprecedented build up to prepare for whatever else might have been out there waiting to squish us.
There were a number of typos that slipped into the version of the novel I read. Many of them were things like mixing up words, like 'noise' instead of 'nose.' There were several I noted, mostly in the early chapters of the book, I know no one can catch them all, but there were just a few more than I felt a novel of this length should have.
I wouldn't let anyone looking for a sci fi romp be deterred though, I've read a lot of genre stuff over the years, a lot. This one stacks up very well against most. I expect great things to follow this author.
Of course, I mean that in a completely platonic, hero worship kind of way. Actually, I've been a faithful listener to his Dead Robots Podcast for a year or so now, and so I was getting regular updates about the release of this novel and what he thought about it as he went through and edited the thing before its release.
Now, I've done the thing before where I either follow an author online, or listen to them via podcast before I read anything by them and it puts me in a weird position as a reader. I think diving into all the minutia of an author's online persona after you've become a fan is one thing, but to become a fan of the personality first can taint my enjoyment of what they write. It can also make me feel conflicted if I don't enjoy their story.
So, when I got this novel, I did put off reading it for a few weeks because I just didn't want to read and be disappointed. It would be horrible for me if that happened.
I needn't have worried. Justin Macumber is a pro. A real pro. This novel is tight, action packed, well plotted, and emotionally satisfying. It doesn't feel like a writer who still has a long ways to go to tell a compelling story. He's arrived.
The plot itself is great. The Titans, super-soldiers created to fend off a alien force that threatened to destroy humanity a century ago have gone off into the larger galaxy to hunt down and destroy those that tried to exterminate humanity. But while out there, they become the victims of a nano-virus that turns these super-soldiers to to rampaging mad men, and they return to the Sol system hell bent on destroying everything here.
All that is backstory, and doesn't serve as a spoiler I don't think. The rest is what happens when a single Titan escaped the nano-virus and comes to the Sol system to warn humanity that destruction is coming just behind. This super soldier ends up in the hands of space pirates and ends up helping a mother and son that have been kidnapped by those same pirates.
In all, the story rocked.
That said, I did have a few problems with the story, mostly I had a hard time buying that humanity, after being almost wiped from existence by a genocidal alien race, would immediately disarm themselves just after the enemy retreats. That seems horribly illogical, and very unlikely. The author mentioned one military commander's frustration at the situation, and I couldn't agree more. I can't imagine any society being so compelled to get rid of their weapons after such a close call. I mean, there was some mention that much of the damage to the solar system was due to a 'scorched earth' campaign humanity enacted during that initial invasion where they nuked most of their own people instead of letting them fall to their new enemy - but it just didn't make sense to me. I would expect the military to have an unprecedented build up to prepare for whatever else might have been out there waiting to squish us.
There were a number of typos that slipped into the version of the novel I read. Many of them were things like mixing up words, like 'noise' instead of 'nose.' There were several I noted, mostly in the early chapters of the book, I know no one can catch them all, but there were just a few more than I felt a novel of this length should have.
I wouldn't let anyone looking for a sci fi romp be deterred though, I've read a lot of genre stuff over the years, a lot. This one stacks up very well against most. I expect great things to follow this author.
March 27, 2012
REVIEW UPDATE!
I completed Haywire by Justin Macumber on 26 March 12. I have had to revise this review from a 4 star to 5 star rating. The pace of action in this book is relentless! Sure there are a few moments of family and social interest between the characters to advance the human elements of the story, but after that it's screeching along again.
Fans of the Dead Robots' Society podcast will recognize the names of Alliance Admirals in the book as Justin nods to his co-hosts Terry Mixon and Eliyanna Kaiser in the heat of action.
During the launch episode on the podcast Justin asked for feedback if we readers wanted more Titan Tales! My answer, "Yes, please!" After you read Haywire you will want more as well.
Earlier Review Content:
I have finished reading the three chapter sneak peek from a new science fiction thriller titled Haywire, that author Justin Macumber, the creator and co-host of the Dead Robots' Society podcast, is letting everyone read. The eBook editions have been released on Barnes & Noble and Amazon. I believe the paper edition will be released on March 13th.
You can get the download or read the chapters online at his website! They are available to tide you over until you can get your eBook or paper edition of Haywire.
I was so thoroughly invested in the fates of the characters Artemis and Shawn in the preview that I went and bought the Kindle edition right away....
If you purchase his book through the link to Amazon at the Dead Robots' Society website, you help their podcast for writers as well! If you can't wait this link will do the same thing taking you to Amazon.com where you just enter Haywire by Justin Macumber in the search bar.
You will not be disappointed!
John
I completed Haywire by Justin Macumber on 26 March 12. I have had to revise this review from a 4 star to 5 star rating. The pace of action in this book is relentless! Sure there are a few moments of family and social interest between the characters to advance the human elements of the story, but after that it's screeching along again.
Fans of the Dead Robots' Society podcast will recognize the names of Alliance Admirals in the book as Justin nods to his co-hosts Terry Mixon and Eliyanna Kaiser in the heat of action.
During the launch episode on the podcast Justin asked for feedback if we readers wanted more Titan Tales! My answer, "Yes, please!" After you read Haywire you will want more as well.
Earlier Review Content:
I have finished reading the three chapter sneak peek from a new science fiction thriller titled Haywire, that author Justin Macumber, the creator and co-host of the Dead Robots' Society podcast, is letting everyone read. The eBook editions have been released on Barnes & Noble and Amazon. I believe the paper edition will be released on March 13th.
You can get the download or read the chapters online at his website! They are available to tide you over until you can get your eBook or paper edition of Haywire.
I was so thoroughly invested in the fates of the characters Artemis and Shawn in the preview that I went and bought the Kindle edition right away....
If you purchase his book through the link to Amazon at the Dead Robots' Society website, you help their podcast for writers as well! If you can't wait this link will do the same thing taking you to Amazon.com where you just enter Haywire by Justin Macumber in the search bar.
You will not be disappointed!
John
March 20, 2012
An enjoyable premiere novel from Justin Macumber. It's a quick and fun ride from start to finish, and there are many characters in this work that I would love to see in other stories, including the campaign of the Titans and maybe short adventures with the two misfit pirates.
This feels like the original Star Wars: a tight rapid-paced joyride in what feels like a much larger universe. In the same vein, it's also a swashbuckling adventure and a good treatise on how our own hubris, when unchecked, can bite us in the end.
Support this author and give this book a try.
This feels like the original Star Wars: a tight rapid-paced joyride in what feels like a much larger universe. In the same vein, it's also a swashbuckling adventure and a good treatise on how our own hubris, when unchecked, can bite us in the end.
Support this author and give this book a try.
June 6, 2012
*********Goodreads Winners********
This book was a thrill to read! Right from the beginning it got my attention and I was unable to stop reading it. I loved how the author provided us with each characters different point of view. This book contained everything a sci-fi fan would love to read including pirates, aliens, outerspace, and so much more. I also loved how the author provided crime in this sci-fi book. All in all, this was a great read and I highly recommend everyone to add it to their to-read shelf.
This book was a thrill to read! Right from the beginning it got my attention and I was unable to stop reading it. I loved how the author provided us with each characters different point of view. This book contained everything a sci-fi fan would love to read including pirates, aliens, outerspace, and so much more. I also loved how the author provided crime in this sci-fi book. All in all, this was a great read and I highly recommend everyone to add it to their to-read shelf.
October 23, 2012
Justin Macumber's Haywire is a fast-paced space adventure that explores what can happen when the technology we use to protect ourselves is turned against us. While it has its ups and downs, the characters and their relationships layered over a humanity-threatening conflict makes this book well worth reading.
The opening chapter fell flat for me, and I was a worried that it wouldn't live up to expectations, but once I dug in a little deeper, I became thoroughly absorbed in the story of teenaged musician Shawn, his preoccupied museum director mother Dr. Alicia Campbell, and the nanotech supersoldier Artemis. The relationship between these three characters makes up the heart of the story, but it takes a while before you get to see the nuances.
The tense relationship between Shawn and his mother is portrayed very realistically, and made especially poignant because neither of them knows how to build the relationship that they both want. I was thrilled to see a story where the protagonist's mother plays an important role in the story, and even more thrilled at how they interact with each other when both are put in danger. When Alicia has to make a decision that will change her son's life, it's not only the turning point of their relationship but of the whole story. I only wish she played a more active role in the last 25% of the story instead of merely serving as motivation for her son and her boyfriend.
Artemis, on the other hand, took a while to grow on me, in part because it's so long before she has a chance to take an active role in the story. But once she comes into the lives of the Campbells, she changes everything. She serves as both role-model and foil to Shawn, a terse and pragmatic teacher who shows him how to take responsibility and become an active participant in his world, while he reveals in her the human being that she has all but forgotten underneath her armor.
I wasn't as enamored of the space pirates as many other readers seem to be. They served their purpose as a catalyst for the story, and Captain Laroux's utter ruthlessness definitely raised the stakes and ratcheted up the tension. However, the sympathetic pair of Gimble and Crowe never really drew me in the way I think they were supposed to. I couldn't care about them the way I cared about the other characters, but the other side characters still gave me plenty to care about.
With so many people pursuing their own agendas and working at cross-purposes, there's more than enough conflict—and personality—to go around, and the various threads come together in a very satisfying conclusion. Macumber did a good job of taking a solution that could have been too easy and keeping it suspenseful and, above all, personal for the characters. They had to work for every inch, and each character had a role to play and sacrifices to make.
While I feel that the epilogue was too abrupt and a little too neat—I would have preferred to see more of the immediate messy aftermath with only hints of what it would all mean for the future—I'm glad that there's enough room to imagine how easily things could have turned out differently. It wasn't an inevitable ending, and throughout the story there was a satisfying mix of familiar tropes with some unexpected turns that kept me on my toes.
Overall, Haywire is a solid story with characters and conflict that kept me engaged all the way through, and a surprisingly layered plot that left me with a lot to think about. After this first book, I'm looking forward to reading what else Justin Macumber will have to offer in the future.
The opening chapter fell flat for me, and I was a worried that it wouldn't live up to expectations, but once I dug in a little deeper, I became thoroughly absorbed in the story of teenaged musician Shawn, his preoccupied museum director mother Dr. Alicia Campbell, and the nanotech supersoldier Artemis. The relationship between these three characters makes up the heart of the story, but it takes a while before you get to see the nuances.
The tense relationship between Shawn and his mother is portrayed very realistically, and made especially poignant because neither of them knows how to build the relationship that they both want. I was thrilled to see a story where the protagonist's mother plays an important role in the story, and even more thrilled at how they interact with each other when both are put in danger. When Alicia has to make a decision that will change her son's life, it's not only the turning point of their relationship but of the whole story. I only wish she played a more active role in the last 25% of the story instead of merely serving as motivation for her son and her boyfriend.
Artemis, on the other hand, took a while to grow on me, in part because it's so long before she has a chance to take an active role in the story. But once she comes into the lives of the Campbells, she changes everything. She serves as both role-model and foil to Shawn, a terse and pragmatic teacher who shows him how to take responsibility and become an active participant in his world, while he reveals in her the human being that she has all but forgotten underneath her armor.
I wasn't as enamored of the space pirates as many other readers seem to be. They served their purpose as a catalyst for the story, and Captain Laroux's utter ruthlessness definitely raised the stakes and ratcheted up the tension. However, the sympathetic pair of Gimble and Crowe never really drew me in the way I think they were supposed to. I couldn't care about them the way I cared about the other characters, but the other side characters still gave me plenty to care about.
With so many people pursuing their own agendas and working at cross-purposes, there's more than enough conflict—and personality—to go around, and the various threads come together in a very satisfying conclusion. Macumber did a good job of taking a solution that could have been too easy and keeping it suspenseful and, above all, personal for the characters. They had to work for every inch, and each character had a role to play and sacrifices to make.
While I feel that the epilogue was too abrupt and a little too neat—I would have preferred to see more of the immediate messy aftermath with only hints of what it would all mean for the future—I'm glad that there's enough room to imagine how easily things could have turned out differently. It wasn't an inevitable ending, and throughout the story there was a satisfying mix of familiar tropes with some unexpected turns that kept me on my toes.
Overall, Haywire is a solid story with characters and conflict that kept me engaged all the way through, and a surprisingly layered plot that left me with a lot to think about. After this first book, I'm looking forward to reading what else Justin Macumber will have to offer in the future.
March 22, 2012
Justin offers a free sample pdf on his website. I was one page in before I went and bought it. The action mixes well with emotional attachment to the characters and his SciFi tropes are used well. The Titans are fierce soldiers with awesome fight scenes. His use of nanotechnology is creative and integral to the story. Shawn, the main character, starts off as a young man more interested in his band and seeing his girlfriend than visiting his mom. I enjoyed the process of his feelings changing towards his mom and him growing up fast into the hero humanity needed to survive the Titan invasion. The ending is clever, satisfying my desire for capable enemies that thwart the good guys' plan time and time again.
One reason for this being a four star instead of five was because of a couple sections that didn't keep my interest. The prologue was awesome; I loved the action, description, and emotional experience of Artemis, the Titan, seeing the final stage of victory over the Hezrin. Unfortunately, after that, I wasn't immediately interested in the two other POV's: Gimble the pirate, and Shawn. I wasn't interested in Shawn until he opened up to his mom when she made him breakfast. Before that I thought he was kind of a punk ;) Same goes for the pirates. Justin showed me a good reason to like these characters by the end, but their introductions didn't immediately grab me. More importantly, I was rewarded for sticking around because Justin has a great ending to these character's arcs.
Another section that lost my interest was between 35% and 60%. Once I became attached to Shawn and his mother, I really enjoyed the story, and was hooked to the outcome. But, after the museum scene, I felt like the mother's boyfriend investigation of what happened at the museum felt like an unnecessary recap since I was there for the action. I get that Justin was showing us her boyfriend's emotional turmoil, but as a reader I wanted new information. The next part that grabbed my interest wasn't until around 60% with the next fight scene. Finding some what to implement the set up info into dialogue within the fight scene, or at least in closer proximity, would have helped keep the pace from dipping.
Lastly, while Justin's writing shows spurts of excellence, there are also places that show room for improvement. For the most part, his writing is good enough not to draw attention to itself and ruin the reader's enjoyment of the story, but it could have been smoother. For his first published book, I'm impressed. That said, Justin has a reasonable room for growth. If you like Science Fiction that has characters you care about, you'll really enjoy Justin's book. I normally take weeks to read a book, but this book I read in 6 days. That says a lot about Justin's ability to grab the reader and keep them till the end. He didn't let me down, and I'll recommend this to any fans of Science Fiction.
One reason for this being a four star instead of five was because of a couple sections that didn't keep my interest. The prologue was awesome; I loved the action, description, and emotional experience of Artemis, the Titan, seeing the final stage of victory over the Hezrin. Unfortunately, after that, I wasn't immediately interested in the two other POV's: Gimble the pirate, and Shawn. I wasn't interested in Shawn until he opened up to his mom when she made him breakfast. Before that I thought he was kind of a punk ;) Same goes for the pirates. Justin showed me a good reason to like these characters by the end, but their introductions didn't immediately grab me. More importantly, I was rewarded for sticking around because Justin has a great ending to these character's arcs.
Another section that lost my interest was between 35% and 60%. Once I became attached to Shawn and his mother, I really enjoyed the story, and was hooked to the outcome. But, after the museum scene, I felt like the mother's boyfriend investigation of what happened at the museum felt like an unnecessary recap since I was there for the action. I get that Justin was showing us her boyfriend's emotional turmoil, but as a reader I wanted new information. The next part that grabbed my interest wasn't until around 60% with the next fight scene. Finding some what to implement the set up info into dialogue within the fight scene, or at least in closer proximity, would have helped keep the pace from dipping.
Lastly, while Justin's writing shows spurts of excellence, there are also places that show room for improvement. For the most part, his writing is good enough not to draw attention to itself and ruin the reader's enjoyment of the story, but it could have been smoother. For his first published book, I'm impressed. That said, Justin has a reasonable room for growth. If you like Science Fiction that has characters you care about, you'll really enjoy Justin's book. I normally take weeks to read a book, but this book I read in 6 days. That says a lot about Justin's ability to grab the reader and keep them till the end. He didn't let me down, and I'll recommend this to any fans of Science Fiction.
July 7, 2016
I'd consider myself a huge fan of sci-fi and this one ticked all the right boxes for me.
Enhanced super soldiers? Check. World-threatening danger? Check. Cockney space pirates? Err... Sure, why not! Check.
What stuck out most was that, unlike a lot of other sci-fi novels, the characters weren't buried under blocks of world building text. They shine and have some great quips and moments. Haywire manages to deliver not only memorable characters, but also great world building, and for that, it deserves a high rating. As a debut novel, this shows an author full of great promise.
In short, I loved it, but I always like to try leave a few critiques here and there.
No book is truly clean of typos and formatting issues. I did catch a few 'your vs you're' issues and, not sure if it was just my Kindle, but seemed to be missing scene breaks and would abruptly jump to another scene without any indicators quite often?
Gimble and Crow were indeed fun characters, but I felt myself asking if they were cut, would the plot have been any different? Overall, I felt like they were more reacting to the external factors rather than advancing things, and their final moment if heroism is rather shortened to 'getting the real heroes from point a to point b'.
The cast is quite large for this length of book from Titans, SWAT, Crimson Kings, etc that at times it can become a case of 'too many cooks' and some great moments don't shine to their full potential.
Alicia's disappearance during the third act seemed a little sudden and like she was pushed out of the spotlight. I quite liked the character so was a bit saddened to see her miss the grand build up. Granted, there wasn't really much she could do in the final battle, but perhaps a short scene with her and her ex-husband where she reveals what happened and what Shawn's become wouldn't have gone amiss.
Lastly, I noticed that alike Stillwater, the epilogue feels a little too upbeat and changes the tone quite suddenly. Perhaps it's just me disliking epilogues, but I personally preferred where it ended.
If you like high-action sci-fi and great characters, then check this one out! Next on my reading list: Titan's Rise.
Enhanced super soldiers? Check. World-threatening danger? Check. Cockney space pirates? Err... Sure, why not! Check.
What stuck out most was that, unlike a lot of other sci-fi novels, the characters weren't buried under blocks of world building text. They shine and have some great quips and moments. Haywire manages to deliver not only memorable characters, but also great world building, and for that, it deserves a high rating. As a debut novel, this shows an author full of great promise.
In short, I loved it, but I always like to try leave a few critiques here and there.
No book is truly clean of typos and formatting issues. I did catch a few 'your vs you're' issues and, not sure if it was just my Kindle, but seemed to be missing scene breaks and would abruptly jump to another scene without any indicators quite often?
Gimble and Crow were indeed fun characters, but I felt myself asking if they were cut, would the plot have been any different? Overall, I felt like they were more reacting to the external factors rather than advancing things, and their final moment if heroism is rather shortened to 'getting the real heroes from point a to point b'.
The cast is quite large for this length of book from Titans, SWAT, Crimson Kings, etc that at times it can become a case of 'too many cooks' and some great moments don't shine to their full potential.
Alicia's disappearance during the third act seemed a little sudden and like she was pushed out of the spotlight. I quite liked the character so was a bit saddened to see her miss the grand build up. Granted, there wasn't really much she could do in the final battle, but perhaps a short scene with her and her ex-husband where she reveals what happened and what Shawn's become wouldn't have gone amiss.
Lastly, I noticed that alike Stillwater, the epilogue feels a little too upbeat and changes the tone quite suddenly. Perhaps it's just me disliking epilogues, but I personally preferred where it ended.
If you like high-action sci-fi and great characters, then check this one out! Next on my reading list: Titan's Rise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2013
I don't always give a written review of the books I read. I've been torn ever since I gave this book 4 stars. Now that I see the author seems to be interested in what his readers say (I can understand and will likely be the same way if I ever finish my book...). So, I've decided to come back and give some details, but without spoilers.
First the reason for 4 stars. The book was great action and I had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed the character of Artemis/Rachel (I actually pictured her as Zoe from Firefly). Many of the other characters seems like they had potential as well, the pirates Gimble and Crowe come to mind (again picturing Firefly characters). The story itself was very interesting and the idea of the mankind saving weapon also being its doom was well thought out.
Now for the reasons I felt 3 stars would be better suited.
Many parts of the book felt too convenient (avoiding specifics/spoilers). I'm willing to look past areas in a story that feel that way when I read, but there seemed to be just a few too many places in the story to the point that I even thought about it while reading.
Some of the characters felt forced, Shawn being the main one. Others felt like they were only there to push the story forward, the 2 pirates previously mentioned. I kept thinking by their limited dialogue and book time that they would likely play an important role in the ending (but I won't say if they did for those that haven't read yet).
All that being said I enjoyed the book. If stories are written about the pirates, I wouldn't mind reading them in the future.
First the reason for 4 stars. The book was great action and I had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed the character of Artemis/Rachel (I actually pictured her as Zoe from Firefly). Many of the other characters seems like they had potential as well, the pirates Gimble and Crowe come to mind (again picturing Firefly characters). The story itself was very interesting and the idea of the mankind saving weapon also being its doom was well thought out.
Now for the reasons I felt 3 stars would be better suited.
Many parts of the book felt too convenient (avoiding specifics/spoilers). I'm willing to look past areas in a story that feel that way when I read, but there seemed to be just a few too many places in the story to the point that I even thought about it while reading.
Some of the characters felt forced, Shawn being the main one. Others felt like they were only there to push the story forward, the 2 pirates previously mentioned. I kept thinking by their limited dialogue and book time that they would likely play an important role in the ending (but I won't say if they did for those that haven't read yet).
All that being said I enjoyed the book. If stories are written about the pirates, I wouldn't mind reading them in the future.
September 29, 2012
I've always been a big fan of larger-than-life sci-fi stories and space warfare, and "Haywire" is no exception. I've also long retained an interest in nanotechnology, so this book caught my attention on several fronts.
This book kept me turning pages - always a good sign - and wanting to find out where the story was going. Because of my experience with the genre and having read hundreds and hundreds of sci-fi stories, I was pretty sure I knew where this story was going, once I got the background. I was right, too. It was a bit predictable, but that in and of itself is not a bad thing. Every story has been told; the trick is telling the same story in a new way, a way that keeps the reader engaged.
Macumber has definitely succeeded with this book. I liked the depiction of the space battles, and I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the way the nanomachines acted and reacted in the various situations. I felt the characters were believable, for this sort of story. Some of the characters were a bit over-the-top and tropish, which is only to be expected from sci-fi, but several others were layered and nuanced in ways that were very well done.
Bottom line: A solid 4-star effort, and a book I'm happy to recommend to friends. An impressive debut novel, and I look forward to more. Glad I picked up a signed copy!
Jason Kristopher
Author of The Dying of the Light: End
This book kept me turning pages - always a good sign - and wanting to find out where the story was going. Because of my experience with the genre and having read hundreds and hundreds of sci-fi stories, I was pretty sure I knew where this story was going, once I got the background. I was right, too. It was a bit predictable, but that in and of itself is not a bad thing. Every story has been told; the trick is telling the same story in a new way, a way that keeps the reader engaged.
Macumber has definitely succeeded with this book. I liked the depiction of the space battles, and I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the way the nanomachines acted and reacted in the various situations. I felt the characters were believable, for this sort of story. Some of the characters were a bit over-the-top and tropish, which is only to be expected from sci-fi, but several others were layered and nuanced in ways that were very well done.
Bottom line: A solid 4-star effort, and a book I'm happy to recommend to friends. An impressive debut novel, and I look forward to more. Glad I picked up a signed copy!
Jason Kristopher
Author of The Dying of the Light: End
March 31, 2012
1) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
2) Genre: Sci-fi
3) Synopsis: Titans (nanobot enhanced super soldiers) disappeared 100 years ago fighting of an alien race that almost whipped out the human race. The Titans are coming back to earth but not for a victory party. They are coming back to finish off the human race.
4) Feelings: Justin R. Macumber is the host of one of my favorite podcasts (Dead Robots’ Society). When I first heard about his book on the podcast I liked the idea. The idea of nanobot enhanced super soldiers really appeals to me. They appealed to me so much I was a little frustrated early on in the book wanting them to show up and start the bloodshed. When they did show up I was very happy and enjoyed the action and ending.
5) Final recommendation: This was an enjoyable book with a very creative and interesting plot line. Started out a little slow for me with some overly creative descriptions but once into the meat of the story everything came together nicely. Excellent read.
Ryan James Burt
Husband, Father, and Writer
http://ryanjamesburt.wordpress.com/
2) Genre: Sci-fi
3) Synopsis: Titans (nanobot enhanced super soldiers) disappeared 100 years ago fighting of an alien race that almost whipped out the human race. The Titans are coming back to earth but not for a victory party. They are coming back to finish off the human race.
4) Feelings: Justin R. Macumber is the host of one of my favorite podcasts (Dead Robots’ Society). When I first heard about his book on the podcast I liked the idea. The idea of nanobot enhanced super soldiers really appeals to me. They appealed to me so much I was a little frustrated early on in the book wanting them to show up and start the bloodshed. When they did show up I was very happy and enjoyed the action and ending.
5) Final recommendation: This was an enjoyable book with a very creative and interesting plot line. Started out a little slow for me with some overly creative descriptions but once into the meat of the story everything came together nicely. Excellent read.
Ryan James Burt
Husband, Father, and Writer
http://ryanjamesburt.wordpress.com/
May 14, 2012
Take elements of Stargate SG1, Firefly, BSG, Fifth Element, and Terminator - run them through a blender, then through a sieve... and you get Haywire.
The Titans, an unethical creation by a mad scientist, were man-kind's last hope when the Hezrin attack Earth and it's solar system. Now it's been 100 years and the Hezrin have been defeated...or have they? Their final dying act was to infect the Titans with a virus. Now, the titans are on their way back to their creators with one objective - destroy!
I had a very hard time putting this one down, including being late for work two days last week! I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but within a few pages I was hooked to the end. I do not read a great deal in this genre, but would if more were like this. A large percentage of my reads include thrillers, and I gladly add this to one to my list of favorites. This, I assure you, is NOT an easy feat! Well done Justin Macumber! If you write, I promise I will read it! I received this one as a first-read through Goodreads - THANK YOU!!!!
The Titans, an unethical creation by a mad scientist, were man-kind's last hope when the Hezrin attack Earth and it's solar system. Now it's been 100 years and the Hezrin have been defeated...or have they? Their final dying act was to infect the Titans with a virus. Now, the titans are on their way back to their creators with one objective - destroy!
I had a very hard time putting this one down, including being late for work two days last week! I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but within a few pages I was hooked to the end. I do not read a great deal in this genre, but would if more were like this. A large percentage of my reads include thrillers, and I gladly add this to one to my list of favorites. This, I assure you, is NOT an easy feat! Well done Justin Macumber! If you write, I promise I will read it! I received this one as a first-read through Goodreads - THANK YOU!!!!
November 4, 2012
Haywire
By Justin R. Macumber
After hearing the trailers for Haywire over many episodes of The Dead Robot Society I decided that it deserved a read. Actually it didn't take that much persuasion as I'm pretty big into Space Opera, techno thriller Science Fiction with lots of military action thrown into the mix. Hmmm.
Super-soldiers have been developed, to fight off an alien race bent on annihilating humankind, by a mad scientist who is long gone with his technological secrets. In the course of preventing the human race from being destroyed by it's saviors a teenage boy is transformed, a lonely woman finds love and a heroic soldier finds peace.
I enjoyed the flow of the story, the development of the characters and the resolution to the problem. Liked the book and think that it deserves a prequel.
By Justin R. Macumber
After hearing the trailers for Haywire over many episodes of The Dead Robot Society I decided that it deserved a read. Actually it didn't take that much persuasion as I'm pretty big into Space Opera, techno thriller Science Fiction with lots of military action thrown into the mix. Hmmm.
Super-soldiers have been developed, to fight off an alien race bent on annihilating humankind, by a mad scientist who is long gone with his technological secrets. In the course of preventing the human race from being destroyed by it's saviors a teenage boy is transformed, a lonely woman finds love and a heroic soldier finds peace.
I enjoyed the flow of the story, the development of the characters and the resolution to the problem. Liked the book and think that it deserves a prequel.
September 7, 2012
Hurray for Haywire! Haywire is filled with characters that you can love, and some you can love to hate. From the very beginning I was drawn closely into the book in an immersive way that only good story telling can do. Justin Macumber has created an amazing world made up of people with fantastic abilities and visionary technology. The story is well crafted and emotionally charged with a detailed eye on the characters. Each one you meet gets a little piece of your heart as you learn about them, and root for them to succeed. The mysteries and history behind everything as the events unfolded kept me enthralled the whole time. I totally enjoyed this book, and I think everyone else will too. Bravo!
May 28, 2012
I really enjoyed this book! I wouldn't know how to describe the plot and don't want to give any spoilers so I will just say that this is an action-packed, very Battlestar Galactica-esque page turner that involves pirates, alien races (well, sort of), technology. It has it all - drama, intrigue, and lots of action. My only complaint is that I didn't get to read it as fast as I wanted to. The book is hard to put down!
I really don't have any complaints or things I didn't like about it so I guess that makes this a 5 star rave review! This book is DEFINITELY worth reading even if you aren't a huge fan of the science fiction genre. *I was lucky enough to receive this book free from a goodreads giveaway* I want to see what else this author has written. Well done!
I really don't have any complaints or things I didn't like about it so I guess that makes this a 5 star rave review! This book is DEFINITELY worth reading even if you aren't a huge fan of the science fiction genre. *I was lucky enough to receive this book free from a goodreads giveaway* I want to see what else this author has written. Well done!
November 9, 2012
Intense and nicely constructed plot. Titans who were once our salvation now became our destruction. The way the story is told reminds me a little of Michael Crichton books, but with more sci-fi twist to it.
April 30, 2012
It isn't quite fair, but Haywire puts me in mind of the Fifth Element. It certainly isn't as goofy, but Haywire certainly has the same love of big action at a badda-boom pace. (And it has an actual ending!)
May 1, 2012
Good read that really pulled me in. I am not a big fan of sci fi usually but I found this book hard to put down once it started going along. Has lots of action including gunfights, hand to hand and full on spaceship fleet battles. Give this book a read you wont regret it.
August 12, 2014
Justin Macumber weaves an exciting sci-fi tale full of multiple villains and unlikely heroes!
Read full review in the 2012 July/August issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2012 July/August issue of InD’tale Magazine.
December 9, 2014
I really enjoyed this adventurous space opera. It was fun and exciting. It left me wanting more stories of the Titans and their foes. How about a volume (or more) on the back-story?
July 10, 2012
A little Treasure Island, a little Berserker, a little Black Sabbath mixed in a fictional gumbo.
August 18, 2012
I loved this book. It was a very fun read set in an exciting sci-fi universe. I recommend this one for anyone who enjoys fast paced action mixed with a healthy dose of sci-fi and a bit of horror.
February 20, 2013
Excellent read and became very involved with the story line.
April 12, 2013
This book was awesome! Once I knew the characters I loved it every step of the way. I was intrigued right off the bat with the awesome sci-fi world and action. Then it changed pace as I met new characters. It didn't take too long before all their worlds collided in one crazy, awesome, and fun story. I was not bored once in this tale. Even early in the book when I was getting to know the characters and the crazy adventure hadn't started yet it was really well paced and a nice way to get to know them before you'd see them tested to their limits.
I'm giving this book five stars because it was everything I could have wanted in a sci fi adventure and then some. Not only was the story world a fun one to be in, but it was told in just enough detail to keep it believable while not dragging you down and slowing the story. Once crap started going down, this book moved at an amazing pace for me and before I know it I had come to the end. That said, there are many memorable moments that Justin slowed down and took his time on. Some that I will never forget because he crafted his story in such a way that I really felt like I was right there with the characters. Those memorable moments are another reason this super fun adventure story is getting a five star review from me. It was a fun romp through space, but one speckled with small memorable moments that made held me in wonder as I experienced them with the characters.
I'm sure I'll read this one again and pass it on to my kids once their old enough. If you like Science Fiction, action, adventure, awesome fight scenes, or just a good story then you should give this book a read. The audio book is also really good. It took me a while to get used the way the narrator almost over enunciates everything but she's really good with characters and accents and made the book shine in my ear buds. I also own this book on Kindle. I am really looking forward to reading his fantasy title "A Minor Magic," to see what Justin does in another genre. This book proved to me that Justin is an author I'll be happy to read for years to come no matter what genre, because the dude can tell a good story.
I'm giving this book five stars because it was everything I could have wanted in a sci fi adventure and then some. Not only was the story world a fun one to be in, but it was told in just enough detail to keep it believable while not dragging you down and slowing the story. Once crap started going down, this book moved at an amazing pace for me and before I know it I had come to the end. That said, there are many memorable moments that Justin slowed down and took his time on. Some that I will never forget because he crafted his story in such a way that I really felt like I was right there with the characters. Those memorable moments are another reason this super fun adventure story is getting a five star review from me. It was a fun romp through space, but one speckled with small memorable moments that made held me in wonder as I experienced them with the characters.
I'm sure I'll read this one again and pass it on to my kids once their old enough. If you like Science Fiction, action, adventure, awesome fight scenes, or just a good story then you should give this book a read. The audio book is also really good. It took me a while to get used the way the narrator almost over enunciates everything but she's really good with characters and accents and made the book shine in my ear buds. I also own this book on Kindle. I am really looking forward to reading his fantasy title "A Minor Magic," to see what Justin does in another genre. This book proved to me that Justin is an author I'll be happy to read for years to come no matter what genre, because the dude can tell a good story.
May 2, 2014
Like science fiction? Are you a fan of old school action/adventure stories? If this is you, Haywire is a must-read book. This story is science for the sake of fiction, and that's what makes it shine. It's a fast paced novel that doesn't get bogged down in the technical aspects of space travel or try to sell you on the plausibility of technology that exists in this futuristic look at our world. The story doesn't spend time explaining the politics of the future or try to tell a less that subtle cautionary tale of what's to come. Haywire is, from page one, a quick moving story about interesting characters. Space is the setting for this book. There's no dull, heavy handed lesson in science or technology to slow the pace of the story. If you're looking for an in-depth explanation of space travel, or how wormholes helped humanity reach out into the stars, you won't find it here. That's not what this book is about. It's far more grounded in the lives of the characters, and that's what I loved about it.
When an alien race attempted to invade our solar system, the people of Earth created an army super soldiers who were powerful enough to drive them back to where they came from. What happened after that is entirely unknown. 100 years passed and no one on Earth knows what became of the aliens or Earth's super soldiers. At least, until one of those soldiers returns home. She is sick with an alien infection, and she is the only one with a chance of stoping the next great threat to Earth.
This is a brilliant and fun premiss for the novel. It's well executed, character centered, and high octane. It's the kind of book you're sort of sad to see end because you feel invested in the characters and the world. But there's good news. Rumor has it that Mr. Macumber is starting work on a prequel to Haywire. And after reading this book, I can see how that is absolutely a story worth telling. I look forward to the new book because Haywire feels like only the beginning of a much larger story. I can't wait to read about the events leading up to all that we read about in this book.
When an alien race attempted to invade our solar system, the people of Earth created an army super soldiers who were powerful enough to drive them back to where they came from. What happened after that is entirely unknown. 100 years passed and no one on Earth knows what became of the aliens or Earth's super soldiers. At least, until one of those soldiers returns home. She is sick with an alien infection, and she is the only one with a chance of stoping the next great threat to Earth.
This is a brilliant and fun premiss for the novel. It's well executed, character centered, and high octane. It's the kind of book you're sort of sad to see end because you feel invested in the characters and the world. But there's good news. Rumor has it that Mr. Macumber is starting work on a prequel to Haywire. And after reading this book, I can see how that is absolutely a story worth telling. I look forward to the new book because Haywire feels like only the beginning of a much larger story. I can't wait to read about the events leading up to all that we read about in this book.
July 18, 2013
I enjoyed this book, except the ending; I knew it had to end that way, and why, but that didn't mean I had to like it. All the same, there wasn't a moment I wasn't invested in the story and eager to find out what would happen next.
So why only three stars? Four is my usual high rating; almost never do I give five. One star is removed for "margin of error." I removed an additional star for a reason that has very little to do with the quality of the book, per se -- although I did notice some grievous errors in editing (e.g. apostrophes where they shouldn't be, and at least one instance where we see "you're" where "your" should be). This book first attracted my attention when I found it listed as "Best Science Fiction With a Female Protagonist." The book's description led me to believe that Dr. Alicia Campbell would be the central figure. So I couldn't help being disappointed when it turned out that she was, at most, a supporting player. The book belongs to her son Shawn. He is the one whose transformations, physical and mental and emotional, form the core of the plot; he is the one whose actions are crucial at the end, while Dr. Campbell spends the entire last third of the book (except a brief epilogue) off-stage, and in the end turns out to be the least consequential of all the novel's major figures. Artemis is a much more impressive presence, but she too is secondary to Shawn. This book does NOT have a female protagonist, and since I started reading it with that expectation, I couldn't help feeling a bit let down.
All the same, I did find the book a fun and involving read.
So why only three stars? Four is my usual high rating; almost never do I give five. One star is removed for "margin of error." I removed an additional star for a reason that has very little to do with the quality of the book, per se -- although I did notice some grievous errors in editing (e.g. apostrophes where they shouldn't be, and at least one instance where we see "you're" where "your" should be). This book first attracted my attention when I found it listed as "Best Science Fiction With a Female Protagonist." The book's description led me to believe that Dr. Alicia Campbell would be the central figure. So I couldn't help being disappointed when it turned out that she was, at most, a supporting player. The book belongs to her son Shawn. He is the one whose transformations, physical and mental and emotional, form the core of the plot; he is the one whose actions are crucial at the end, while Dr. Campbell spends the entire last third of the book (except a brief epilogue) off-stage, and in the end turns out to be the least consequential of all the novel's major figures. Artemis is a much more impressive presence, but she too is secondary to Shawn. This book does NOT have a female protagonist, and since I started reading it with that expectation, I couldn't help feeling a bit let down.
All the same, I did find the book a fun and involving read.
July 31, 2017
Macumber delivers a light action novel with just enough character depth to keep us involved for the whole story. The setting and central conflict of the novel will be familiar to any fan of the sci-fi genre: mankind's technology for waging war has gone awry and now threatens his very existence. We've got habitats on Earth, in orbit, on the moon, Mars, in the asteroid belt and so on. Near space is settled. Tech is abundant and cheap. Pirates and colonial rebels provide a dash of pulp-action flavor. The coming threat is both catastrophic and imminent, but the authorities predictably do little to anticipate it. So much for the familiar.
The real meat of the story centers around the Titan Artemis and Shawn, the teenager abruptly forced to deal with a world of violence and hard choices for which he was never prepared. The plot smacks of pulp melodrama. The military scenes bear the indelible imprint of a civilian perspective. Every character and faction is not so subtly similar to the current socio-political environment in the US. But Macumber always brings us back to Shawn and Artemis, and we simply can't abandon them. He writes with attention to detail, an eye to the impact of technology, and a sense of pacing that drives us to fight the dawn in favor of reading one more chapter.
If you like Buck Rogers, Battlestar Galactica, Wing Commander, or superhero fiction then go Haywire. You'll love it. I did.
The real meat of the story centers around the Titan Artemis and Shawn, the teenager abruptly forced to deal with a world of violence and hard choices for which he was never prepared. The plot smacks of pulp melodrama. The military scenes bear the indelible imprint of a civilian perspective. Every character and faction is not so subtly similar to the current socio-political environment in the US. But Macumber always brings us back to Shawn and Artemis, and we simply can't abandon them. He writes with attention to detail, an eye to the impact of technology, and a sense of pacing that drives us to fight the dawn in favor of reading one more chapter.
If you like Buck Rogers, Battlestar Galactica, Wing Commander, or superhero fiction then go Haywire. You'll love it. I did.
January 14, 2014
Science fiction can be a very mixed bag. It's not my favorite genre, mainly because when authors bring in starships, space battles, and futuristic tropes, characters seem to disappear from the stories. Luckily, Justin Macumber doesn't skimp on characters in favor of technology or world building.
The story has many different plot lines that ultimately intersect into spectacular conflict. Cyborg-soldiers who were sent off to destroy humanity's greatest enemy were all but forgotten and faded into mere legend. However, those soldiers were still fighting their war decades later. At the moment of triumph, they suffered the greatest defeat of all--turned into machines to slaughter humanity.
A single soldier manages to escape and attempts to warn the human systems of the impending danger. In the process, a young man and his mother become wrapped up in the fight to save humanity while warring with two different governments and pirates.
Haywire is a story about a young man coming of age and learning to use powers that both frighten and exalt. His transformation from a relatively self-centered teenager into a savior of humanity is striking. Not only are the characters likable and realistic, the way they interact with their world of high technology is fascinating.
Macumber has not only created a great world of lore and science, but he has set up a universe I wish to visit again.
The story has many different plot lines that ultimately intersect into spectacular conflict. Cyborg-soldiers who were sent off to destroy humanity's greatest enemy were all but forgotten and faded into mere legend. However, those soldiers were still fighting their war decades later. At the moment of triumph, they suffered the greatest defeat of all--turned into machines to slaughter humanity.
A single soldier manages to escape and attempts to warn the human systems of the impending danger. In the process, a young man and his mother become wrapped up in the fight to save humanity while warring with two different governments and pirates.
Haywire is a story about a young man coming of age and learning to use powers that both frighten and exalt. His transformation from a relatively self-centered teenager into a savior of humanity is striking. Not only are the characters likable and realistic, the way they interact with their world of high technology is fascinating.
Macumber has not only created a great world of lore and science, but he has set up a universe I wish to visit again.
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