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The Academy #7
Starhawk
Priscilla Hutchins has been through many experiences.
This is the story of her first unforgettable adventure…
Priscilla “Hutch” Hutchins has finally realized her lifelong She’s completed a nerve-bending qualification flight for a pilot’s license.
Her timing is far from optimal, however. Faster-than-light travel has only recently become a reality, and the World Space Authority is still learning how to manage long-range missions safely. To make matters worse, efforts to prepare two planets for colonization are killing off native life-forms, outraging people on Earth.
So there’s not a lot of demand for space pilots. Priscilla thinks her career may be over before it has begun. But her ambition won’t be denied, and soon she is on the bridge of an interstellar ship, working for the corporation that is responsible for the terraforming.
Her working conditions include bomb threats, sabotage, clashes with her employers—and a mission to a world, adrift between the stars, that harbors a life-form unlike anything humanity has ever seen. Ultimately, she will be part of a life-and-death struggle that will test both her capabilities and her character...
This is the story of her first unforgettable adventure…
Priscilla “Hutch” Hutchins has finally realized her lifelong She’s completed a nerve-bending qualification flight for a pilot’s license.
Her timing is far from optimal, however. Faster-than-light travel has only recently become a reality, and the World Space Authority is still learning how to manage long-range missions safely. To make matters worse, efforts to prepare two planets for colonization are killing off native life-forms, outraging people on Earth.
So there’s not a lot of demand for space pilots. Priscilla thinks her career may be over before it has begun. But her ambition won’t be denied, and soon she is on the bridge of an interstellar ship, working for the corporation that is responsible for the terraforming.
Her working conditions include bomb threats, sabotage, clashes with her employers—and a mission to a world, adrift between the stars, that harbors a life-form unlike anything humanity has ever seen. Ultimately, she will be part of a life-and-death struggle that will test both her capabilities and her character...
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2013
68 people are currently reading
1253 people want to read
About the author
Jack McDevitt
185 books1,347 followersJack McDevitt is a former English teacher, naval officer, Philadelphia taxi driver, customs officer and motivational trainer. His work has been on the final ballot for the Nebula Awards for 12 of the past 13 years. His first novel, The Hercules Text, was published in the celebrated Ace Specials series and won the Philip K. Dick Special Award. In 1991, McDevitt won the first $10,000 UPC International Prize for his novella, "Ships in the Night." The Engines of God was a finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and his novella, "Time Travelers Never Die," was nominated for both the Hugo and the Nebula awards.
McDevitt lives in Georgia with his wife, Maureen, where he plays chess, reads mysteries and eats lunch regularly with his cronies.
McDevitt lives in Georgia with his wife, Maureen, where he plays chess, reads mysteries and eats lunch regularly with his cronies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
November 11, 2013
5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.blogspot.com/201...
Jack McDevitt has been writing books for a long time, but it wasn't until Starhawk that I finally got a taste of his work. I was initially uncertain about jumping on board with this one, seeing how the book's main character as well as the setting have been established for a while in McDevitt's The Academy series. However, after discovering that Starhawk is actually a prequel of sorts, I took the opportunity to use it as a starting point. How happy I am that I did! Starhawk is amazing, introducing me to a whole new world of space exploration and adventure.
The book takes readers back to the earlier days of Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins, to a time when faster-than-light travel is still relatively new, and earth politicians rage over the future of human expansion into space. People are also unhappy at the methods used to prepare alien worlds for colonization, which involves terraforming, a process that essentially strips a planet of all life.
Supervised by her mentor Jake, Priscilla has just achieved her life long dream of becoming an interstellar space pilot, passing her qualifications flight with flying colors. But due to the uncertainty of the times as well as her own tenacity, she is soon finding out the hard way that the right piloting job is hard to come by. Priscilla, however, is not one to be discouraged and soon she finds herself involved with all sorts of conflicts, including dealing with bomb threats, sabotage, rescue missions, and even the possibility of making first contact with extraterrestrial life forms. All of it will test her new-found knowledge of piloting as well as her own courage and force of will.
My friends who are fans of The Academy series love Priscilla, or "Hutch" to her friends, and I can see why. Even at this early point in her life, she is showing signs of the strength in her character, though at times I feel she is written somewhat awkwardly. For example, the book's description makes her out to be the main focus, but I don't always get the sense she is coming through as the "hero" of the story. At the same time, I realize this is supposed to be a prequel novel showing how she is still learning the ropes and coming into her own. In that sense, I can understand why she might be portrayed in more of a support role as the inexperienced new pilot. Regardless, I was completely unfamiliar with her character before this, so Starhawk was my first introduction to Priscilla and I liked enough of what I read.
The storyline in this book, however, is nothing short of incredible. Personally, the idea of being stranded in space scares the bejeezus out of me and is quite possibly one of the worst fates I can imagine. As such, I've never had the desire to go to space...but I do so love reading about it, for the thrills and tension! A lot of the situations in this book involve such dangers, and so a high level of suspense is constant during those scenes, and of course my own fears made reading this one even more intense. At times, the story even crosses the line into unsettling and downright spooky territory. Like I said, it makes my skin crawl and my heart clench just thinking about being lost in space, all alone in that big wide emptiness, thus making space disaster plot lines like the ones in this book very effective on me.
The fact that events take place in this amazing time of change is another reason why I liked this book so much. Jack McDevitt paints an interesting future, which despite having all this fascinating tech and being around a couple centuries ahead doesn't actually feel too distant. He really puts you there, including made-up pop culture references and the fictional names and accomplishments of famous figures which adds a realistic touch. The highlight for me was also the epistolary content at the end of each chapter, whether they are excerpts from Priscilla's journal, ship logs, news feeds and even internet chatter. It left me almost charmed and a little amused to read about how, even this far into the future, society still has the same concerns like politics, environmental change, education of our children, sports, etc. Oh, and that there will also always be internet trolls.
Perhaps my favorite thing about the novel though, is a theme alluded to in the prologue, where Priscilla ponders all those old science fiction stories featuring aliens that show up to take over earth and kill us all. That humans may be the terrifying invading aliens in this case, destroying all living creatures and ecosystems on entire worlds using terraforming to suit their own needs, is a central conflict in this novel. The story takes place in that awkward "in-between" stage where space exploration is still such a young discipline, and the human race becoming a species capable of long-ranged space travel is a process requiring lots of growing pains. The bulk of my recent science fiction novels have been space operas where humans have had the means for space travel for a long time, so long that it has become a given. So it's pretty fascinating to be reading a book where going into space is still considered a new idea, with so few safety precautions set in place that heading into space is considered dangerous and a topic of much controversy. I just really enjoyed how this book looked at a lot of things in a different light.
I had so much fun with Starhawk, I finished all 400 pages of it in less than a day. It wasn't just the plot that engaged me, it was the character and the setting and the whole package. I'm definitely going to look into picking up The Academy series, to see how things turn out for Priscilla/Hutch.
Jack McDevitt has been writing books for a long time, but it wasn't until Starhawk that I finally got a taste of his work. I was initially uncertain about jumping on board with this one, seeing how the book's main character as well as the setting have been established for a while in McDevitt's The Academy series. However, after discovering that Starhawk is actually a prequel of sorts, I took the opportunity to use it as a starting point. How happy I am that I did! Starhawk is amazing, introducing me to a whole new world of space exploration and adventure.
The book takes readers back to the earlier days of Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins, to a time when faster-than-light travel is still relatively new, and earth politicians rage over the future of human expansion into space. People are also unhappy at the methods used to prepare alien worlds for colonization, which involves terraforming, a process that essentially strips a planet of all life.
Supervised by her mentor Jake, Priscilla has just achieved her life long dream of becoming an interstellar space pilot, passing her qualifications flight with flying colors. But due to the uncertainty of the times as well as her own tenacity, she is soon finding out the hard way that the right piloting job is hard to come by. Priscilla, however, is not one to be discouraged and soon she finds herself involved with all sorts of conflicts, including dealing with bomb threats, sabotage, rescue missions, and even the possibility of making first contact with extraterrestrial life forms. All of it will test her new-found knowledge of piloting as well as her own courage and force of will.
My friends who are fans of The Academy series love Priscilla, or "Hutch" to her friends, and I can see why. Even at this early point in her life, she is showing signs of the strength in her character, though at times I feel she is written somewhat awkwardly. For example, the book's description makes her out to be the main focus, but I don't always get the sense she is coming through as the "hero" of the story. At the same time, I realize this is supposed to be a prequel novel showing how she is still learning the ropes and coming into her own. In that sense, I can understand why she might be portrayed in more of a support role as the inexperienced new pilot. Regardless, I was completely unfamiliar with her character before this, so Starhawk was my first introduction to Priscilla and I liked enough of what I read.
The storyline in this book, however, is nothing short of incredible. Personally, the idea of being stranded in space scares the bejeezus out of me and is quite possibly one of the worst fates I can imagine. As such, I've never had the desire to go to space...but I do so love reading about it, for the thrills and tension! A lot of the situations in this book involve such dangers, and so a high level of suspense is constant during those scenes, and of course my own fears made reading this one even more intense. At times, the story even crosses the line into unsettling and downright spooky territory. Like I said, it makes my skin crawl and my heart clench just thinking about being lost in space, all alone in that big wide emptiness, thus making space disaster plot lines like the ones in this book very effective on me.
The fact that events take place in this amazing time of change is another reason why I liked this book so much. Jack McDevitt paints an interesting future, which despite having all this fascinating tech and being around a couple centuries ahead doesn't actually feel too distant. He really puts you there, including made-up pop culture references and the fictional names and accomplishments of famous figures which adds a realistic touch. The highlight for me was also the epistolary content at the end of each chapter, whether they are excerpts from Priscilla's journal, ship logs, news feeds and even internet chatter. It left me almost charmed and a little amused to read about how, even this far into the future, society still has the same concerns like politics, environmental change, education of our children, sports, etc. Oh, and that there will also always be internet trolls.
Perhaps my favorite thing about the novel though, is a theme alluded to in the prologue, where Priscilla ponders all those old science fiction stories featuring aliens that show up to take over earth and kill us all. That humans may be the terrifying invading aliens in this case, destroying all living creatures and ecosystems on entire worlds using terraforming to suit their own needs, is a central conflict in this novel. The story takes place in that awkward "in-between" stage where space exploration is still such a young discipline, and the human race becoming a species capable of long-ranged space travel is a process requiring lots of growing pains. The bulk of my recent science fiction novels have been space operas where humans have had the means for space travel for a long time, so long that it has become a given. So it's pretty fascinating to be reading a book where going into space is still considered a new idea, with so few safety precautions set in place that heading into space is considered dangerous and a topic of much controversy. I just really enjoyed how this book looked at a lot of things in a different light.
I had so much fun with Starhawk, I finished all 400 pages of it in less than a day. It wasn't just the plot that engaged me, it was the character and the setting and the whole package. I'm definitely going to look into picking up The Academy series, to see how things turn out for Priscilla/Hutch.
October 13, 2021
I will freely admit that I've made no attempt to read any of Jack McDevitt's various series in their intended order. It's not for any specific reason. It's mostly that I tend to encounter them in bursts--a few at the local library, a whole bunch at a neighborhood book sale-- and they're not very continuity dependent. I don't feel as if I've spoiled anything for myself by reading them out of sequence. Possibly some scenes take on more resonance if you know what has gone on before, but my experience of his work hasn't been wide enough for me to become aware of that yet.
I do know that he's consistently good, writing hard SF in a somewhat classic mode. For me, his novels sit comfortably on the same mental shelf as Clarke, Niven, Clement, Heinlein, Asimov …
This particular novel features one of his series characters, Patricia "Hutch" Hutchins. It's actually something of a flashback, telling of the completion of her training to be a space pilot, and the events that build her initial reputation. There actually isn't a strong plot. Various adventures happen, but it doesn't feel like a patchwork of short stories stitched into a novel. It's simply that her journey is more mental than physical. It's about her proving herself to her peers.
It's hard to convey the appeal of McDevitt's work. He's good but not flashy about it. There aren't many Holy Cow! moments. Events unfold in a very orderly, matter-of-fact fashion. But it manages to be compelling, and I keep turning the pages to see what happens next. All I can say is that he makes this aging SF fan's heart very happy. Recommended!
I do know that he's consistently good, writing hard SF in a somewhat classic mode. For me, his novels sit comfortably on the same mental shelf as Clarke, Niven, Clement, Heinlein, Asimov …
This particular novel features one of his series characters, Patricia "Hutch" Hutchins. It's actually something of a flashback, telling of the completion of her training to be a space pilot, and the events that build her initial reputation. There actually isn't a strong plot. Various adventures happen, but it doesn't feel like a patchwork of short stories stitched into a novel. It's simply that her journey is more mental than physical. It's about her proving herself to her peers.
It's hard to convey the appeal of McDevitt's work. He's good but not flashy about it. There aren't many Holy Cow! moments. Events unfold in a very orderly, matter-of-fact fashion. But it manages to be compelling, and I keep turning the pages to see what happens next. All I can say is that he makes this aging SF fan's heart very happy. Recommended!
July 17, 2015
Dear Diary:
Why do authors use a characters’ diary to reiterate plot points that have already happened? And why do they sometimes use ‘news headlines’ at the end of a chapter to summarize the geo-political situations they were too lazy to work into the story? And why, if you don’t have any sort of interesting iseas do some authors force a boring book on readers who are big fans?
Dear Mr. McDevitt:
I am not your biggest fan, but have read all of your books and look forward to news ones. But, ‘Starhawk’ has me confused. Did you actually write it, or pass off the task to a student? The Hutchins series is the weaker of the two you have going, so if you write an origins novel, about a character we already know from six other books—you gotta knock it out of the park, not attempt to set the record for most boring story line.
Dear Reader:
This is without a doubt the weakest of the novels involving ‘Hutch.’ Part insipid romance, part social/political polemic, part adventure (there are three predictable space rescues—none of which are the slightest bit thrilling), and part pseudo-psychology. All the concentration is on the guilt supposedly felt by Hutch's certification instructor over the death of a fellow pilot and how he transfers that guilt to Hutch. Written in the least imaginative way possible--no tension (every action is telegraphed pages in advance), no surprises, not much fun. At one point, one of the rescue missions to the ice planet Orfano discovers an intriguing life form that is attempting to communicate via weather. What do the humans do? They leave. Anything new to add about the ancient monuments discovered on various planets mentioned in other books? Nope. Now, don’t get mad at me! I love most of McDevitts books; I want him to do better than this.
Dear Self:
I found the book tedious—and I didn’t want too. Remember the visceral thrill you felt reading “Chindi,’ or ‘Omega?’ I want that thrill back.
Why do authors use a characters’ diary to reiterate plot points that have already happened? And why do they sometimes use ‘news headlines’ at the end of a chapter to summarize the geo-political situations they were too lazy to work into the story? And why, if you don’t have any sort of interesting iseas do some authors force a boring book on readers who are big fans?
Dear Mr. McDevitt:
I am not your biggest fan, but have read all of your books and look forward to news ones. But, ‘Starhawk’ has me confused. Did you actually write it, or pass off the task to a student? The Hutchins series is the weaker of the two you have going, so if you write an origins novel, about a character we already know from six other books—you gotta knock it out of the park, not attempt to set the record for most boring story line.
Dear Reader:
This is without a doubt the weakest of the novels involving ‘Hutch.’ Part insipid romance, part social/political polemic, part adventure (there are three predictable space rescues—none of which are the slightest bit thrilling), and part pseudo-psychology. All the concentration is on the guilt supposedly felt by Hutch's certification instructor over the death of a fellow pilot and how he transfers that guilt to Hutch. Written in the least imaginative way possible--no tension (every action is telegraphed pages in advance), no surprises, not much fun. At one point, one of the rescue missions to the ice planet Orfano discovers an intriguing life form that is attempting to communicate via weather. What do the humans do? They leave. Anything new to add about the ancient monuments discovered on various planets mentioned in other books? Nope. Now, don’t get mad at me! I love most of McDevitts books; I want him to do better than this.
Dear Self:
I found the book tedious—and I didn’t want too. Remember the visceral thrill you felt reading “Chindi,’ or ‘Omega?’ I want that thrill back.
November 23, 2015
I have never read a Jack McDevitt novel before, much less the Academy series where I would have met Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins, the main character of said series. This is a prequel to that series and thereby a good jumping point to get into the series. Unfortunately, it's not a particularly compelling one, though there are many things that the book does right.
First off, it should be noted that Priscilla shares the spotlight in this book, with her mentor, Jake Loomis, getting point of view chapters of his own and he struggles with the tragedy of the book's opening mission, and his future with space flight. The future of spaceflight itself is a prominent theme, as there is very little funding available to maintain the level of exploration needed, much less to rescue those who get stranded out there. The latter is another prominent theme as it becomes the only way for Hutch, a fresh off of certification pilot, to get out into space in this cash strapped industry.
This is not a high action book. In fact, it feels very realistic to me, offering us lots of solitude and boredom on the space flights. Even during the tense situations of the rescues, there's a sense of "hurry up and wait" because not all space travel is about laser battles and explosions. We're also just on the cusp of FTL travel here, with humanity only just poking its nose into the universe and hoping for a response. There is evidence of Something Out There, with repeated mention of the monument on Iapetus, which I assume is important to future novels. But there's also the underlying concern of what we are doing in our attempt to reach further into space and colonize other worlds. Are we destroying life elsewhere for the sake of our own expansion? But this too is an issue that burns slowly in the story, even with occasional moments of opposition. Some protestors take to terrorism, while others simply choose to bite their tongues to avoid the hassle, and ultimately, the answer to the question of "is terraforming destroying life on other planets" is "maybe, but probably not for a long time." This pedantic approach to the storytelling might bore some, but I found it appealing in its realism.
I assume that a lot of the relationships and even names, such as "Starhawk" and "Hutch" are common in the future books. Here we learn their lackluster origins and slag through the tepid friendships and romances that occur separately between Jake and Priscilla. Priscilla's relationship with Cal in particular is poorly written. I hope that he plays a significant role in her future life but for now, I am as uninterested in their romance as she seemed to be at first, and am even more disappointed in the inexplicable switch in her approval of him, which went from "meh" to a lazily written "I'm not sure when I started to care blah blah blah..." While I can appreciate the slowness of the rest of the storytelling, the characters themselves, as well as their relationships, are utterly dull and unappealing. This is where the book ultimately fails to make me want to know more.
And finally, a pet peeve: It's 200 years in the future, but of course the cast is default white and they get descriptions about flowing hair and sparkling eyes etc. Then McDevitt tosses in some background people of colour who get descriptions like "African-American" or "Asian." This is level one diversity Jack. Thanks for trying, but can you please refer to GRRM's handy chart of shades for describing PoC characters.
www.bibliosanctum.com
First off, it should be noted that Priscilla shares the spotlight in this book, with her mentor, Jake Loomis, getting point of view chapters of his own and he struggles with the tragedy of the book's opening mission, and his future with space flight. The future of spaceflight itself is a prominent theme, as there is very little funding available to maintain the level of exploration needed, much less to rescue those who get stranded out there. The latter is another prominent theme as it becomes the only way for Hutch, a fresh off of certification pilot, to get out into space in this cash strapped industry.
This is not a high action book. In fact, it feels very realistic to me, offering us lots of solitude and boredom on the space flights. Even during the tense situations of the rescues, there's a sense of "hurry up and wait" because not all space travel is about laser battles and explosions. We're also just on the cusp of FTL travel here, with humanity only just poking its nose into the universe and hoping for a response. There is evidence of Something Out There, with repeated mention of the monument on Iapetus, which I assume is important to future novels. But there's also the underlying concern of what we are doing in our attempt to reach further into space and colonize other worlds. Are we destroying life elsewhere for the sake of our own expansion? But this too is an issue that burns slowly in the story, even with occasional moments of opposition. Some protestors take to terrorism, while others simply choose to bite their tongues to avoid the hassle, and ultimately, the answer to the question of "is terraforming destroying life on other planets" is "maybe, but probably not for a long time." This pedantic approach to the storytelling might bore some, but I found it appealing in its realism.
I assume that a lot of the relationships and even names, such as "Starhawk" and "Hutch" are common in the future books. Here we learn their lackluster origins and slag through the tepid friendships and romances that occur separately between Jake and Priscilla. Priscilla's relationship with Cal in particular is poorly written. I hope that he plays a significant role in her future life but for now, I am as uninterested in their romance as she seemed to be at first, and am even more disappointed in the inexplicable switch in her approval of him, which went from "meh" to a lazily written "I'm not sure when I started to care blah blah blah..." While I can appreciate the slowness of the rest of the storytelling, the characters themselves, as well as their relationships, are utterly dull and unappealing. This is where the book ultimately fails to make me want to know more.
And finally, a pet peeve: It's 200 years in the future, but of course the cast is default white and they get descriptions about flowing hair and sparkling eyes etc. Then McDevitt tosses in some background people of colour who get descriptions like "African-American" or "Asian." This is level one diversity Jack. Thanks for trying, but can you please refer to GRRM's handy chart of shades for describing PoC characters.
www.bibliosanctum.com
November 5, 2013
Great READ!
I have a soft spot in my heart, some might say head, for early FTL novels.
The major failing of the biggest franchise in this regard was that we saw the technology working and pretty far along.
Jack McDevitt's books have at times worked backward to those days to come and shown a light on some of the troubles that could occur when humanity is new at leaving the local system.
STARHAWK is the most direct version of this that we have seen.
His quite good female character, Priscilla Hutchins is just finishing training as an interstellar pilot as an entire new range of interests begins to be discovered. We also see a new twist on a 'long-distance relationship' or two.
Like most early worldline books it may not have quite the depth of field that the later Chase Kolpath books do, but it is still an excellent read and I enjoyed the ending enormously.
I have a soft spot in my heart, some might say head, for early FTL novels.
The major failing of the biggest franchise in this regard was that we saw the technology working and pretty far along.
Jack McDevitt's books have at times worked backward to those days to come and shown a light on some of the troubles that could occur when humanity is new at leaving the local system.
STARHAWK is the most direct version of this that we have seen.
His quite good female character, Priscilla Hutchins is just finishing training as an interstellar pilot as an entire new range of interests begins to be discovered. We also see a new twist on a 'long-distance relationship' or two.
Like most early worldline books it may not have quite the depth of field that the later Chase Kolpath books do, but it is still an excellent read and I enjoyed the ending enormously.
November 15, 2013
This is one of those books that looks like it has everything: an independent young female heroine, a somewhat tortured older male, alien contact, space flight, etc. But it all seemed kind of by the numbers. I found it hard to care about any of the characters, and I found some of their actions unlikely. They find evidence of alien contact, their company tells them to shut up about it, and they do?!? That didn't make sense to me. I also thought the writing seemed kind of flat. It definitely wasn't wordy, but I didn't think that any deep underlying emotions ever seemed to occur within the characters even in situations when you'd think they would. It was more like McDevitt said, "OK, it's time in my plot to spice things up. I'll throw in a suicide here." or "Time to spice things up...let's show aliens!" but it all seemed so mundane that it wasn't very exciting for me as a reader.
February 12, 2023
I missed this one somehow. I do like this series. This one is a prequel. Friends reviews are mixed but generally positive. On the TBR pile, mid-priority.
OK: I liked it, and also found it to be good but not great. It does set the scene for Priscilla Hutchins' early days, after she earns her starship pilot's license and goes to work for Kosmik, ostensibly in a semi-desk job -- but that would make for a dull book, wouldn't it? Sets the scene for her move to the Academy and there's plenty of action, but it is a bit disjointed. Perhaps McDevitt had a set of notes for his MC in this very successful series, and decided to expand the notes into a full novel?
Anyway, I did enjoy it, say 3.5 stars-worth, and would recommend it to fans of the series. But don't expect to be blown away!
OK: I liked it, and also found it to be good but not great. It does set the scene for Priscilla Hutchins' early days, after she earns her starship pilot's license and goes to work for Kosmik, ostensibly in a semi-desk job -- but that would make for a dull book, wouldn't it? Sets the scene for her move to the Academy and there's plenty of action, but it is a bit disjointed. Perhaps McDevitt had a set of notes for his MC in this very successful series, and decided to expand the notes into a full novel?
Anyway, I did enjoy it, say 3.5 stars-worth, and would recommend it to fans of the series. But don't expect to be blown away!
December 29, 2013
Though this is the 7th book in the series numerically, it is really the "prequel" that gives you background on Priscilla Hutchins and her first few missions. Good character development and setting of the timeframe (2195. As usual with McDevitt's books great action scenes. The ending action had me excited and nervous up to the end. Great book if you have read the series. And if you have not read any of the Priscilla Hutchins books this is the perfect starting point.
July 31, 2017
Okay read. A prequel has its own set of difficulties. I avoided looking up characters to see where they ended up, though I'm pretty sure there were a number of characters that appear later. Mostly this was a typical Hutch book but with a younger Hutch. Pretty good relatively good near-future sf but with a touch of space archaeology. 3.5 of 5.
February 12, 2022
With the completion of Starhawk, I've completed the eight novel The Academy series. Starhawk is a prequel to the other novels and takes place just after series main character Priscilla Hutchins graduates with her interstellar pilot's license and completes her qualifying flight, and focuses on the ups and downs of her first few jobs. A considerable amount of the novel is devoted to the life of her mentor, veteran interstellar pilot Jake Loomis whose life intersects with Priscilla's professionally throughout the book.
The novel is set in 2195 in a world stable politically but very much divided with regards to the subjects of terraforming and interstellar flight. Terraforming of planets has just begun and despite the protests of the general population and the scientists, companies are proceeding to terraforming earth-like planets to suit humans with no regard to the negative and sometimes deadly effects on the native less-intelligent-than-humans life forms. There is a large percentage of Earth's population, lead by influential politicians, who believe that interstellar space travel needs to be scaled back, if not all together ended, due to the huge costs inherent in the endeavors. These two conflicts drive the plot along.
Like McDevitt's other The Academy novels, this feels like the science fiction I grew up on, akin to something like Asimov or Clarke would've written. While I didn't think it was as good as some of the other The Academy novels I liked it a lot and am happy he chose to write a prequel about the captain I've spent a lot of time reading about over the years.
The novel is set in 2195 in a world stable politically but very much divided with regards to the subjects of terraforming and interstellar flight. Terraforming of planets has just begun and despite the protests of the general population and the scientists, companies are proceeding to terraforming earth-like planets to suit humans with no regard to the negative and sometimes deadly effects on the native less-intelligent-than-humans life forms. There is a large percentage of Earth's population, lead by influential politicians, who believe that interstellar space travel needs to be scaled back, if not all together ended, due to the huge costs inherent in the endeavors. These two conflicts drive the plot along.
Like McDevitt's other The Academy novels, this feels like the science fiction I grew up on, akin to something like Asimov or Clarke would've written. While I didn't think it was as good as some of the other The Academy novels I liked it a lot and am happy he chose to write a prequel about the captain I've spent a lot of time reading about over the years.
February 8, 2015
I found this very 'meh' actually. It's not BADLY written and the plot is interesting, but it seems very dry. I found it VERY hard to really give a fig about the characters. Interesting world building, but that's about all.
April 21, 2018
Starhawk is the seventh installment of Jack McDevitt's Academy Series.
The fifth volume was a big purge, the sixth condensed all the defects of the author.
This one is not perfect, but compared to the two previous works of the series, it is a masterpiece.
While it is still missing a real backbone to this novel, it has many assets: it is not too long, it is centered on Priscilla Hutchins pilot's debut (which is one of the flagship characters of the series), and he is often interesting.
So yes, as usual the promises of the beginning of the book are not necessarily held, as usual there are a lot of digressions, as usual the author is a little annoying on the space policy and the decline of space exploration for financial reasons.
But there is suspense, the characters do not whine too much, it is always remarkably pleasant to read, all that concerns the space mechanics is perfectly understandable, there is always delicate touches of humor here and there.
In short it's McDevitt with its defects and its usual qualities, but in contrary with the two precedent Academy's novels, Starhawk has given me the desire to read the next one.
The fifth volume was a big purge, the sixth condensed all the defects of the author.
This one is not perfect, but compared to the two previous works of the series, it is a masterpiece.
While it is still missing a real backbone to this novel, it has many assets: it is not too long, it is centered on Priscilla Hutchins pilot's debut (which is one of the flagship characters of the series), and he is often interesting.
So yes, as usual the promises of the beginning of the book are not necessarily held, as usual there are a lot of digressions, as usual the author is a little annoying on the space policy and the decline of space exploration for financial reasons.
But there is suspense, the characters do not whine too much, it is always remarkably pleasant to read, all that concerns the space mechanics is perfectly understandable, there is always delicate touches of humor here and there.
In short it's McDevitt with its defects and its usual qualities, but in contrary with the two precedent Academy's novels, Starhawk has given me the desire to read the next one.
August 31, 2018
I'd missed 'Starhawk' being published, not sure why given that I've enjoyed the Academy series a lot. This carried in that sequence, as the seventh in the series, albeit structured as a prequel detailing some of the early career of Priscilla 'Hutch' Hutchins, the main protagonist of the novels.
Naturally it has the problems that prequels always have – significant events that aren't referred to later on being chief among them, but it is still a very decent read. I think McDevitt nails charcterisation (in spite of what some would have you believe) and his style is easy and flowing.
Well worth a read for fans of 'hard' science fiction. I'd tend to read the series in order, but I'm a bit of a completist, I think you could easily pick this up as a stand alone.
Naturally it has the problems that prequels always have – significant events that aren't referred to later on being chief among them, but it is still a very decent read. I think McDevitt nails charcterisation (in spite of what some would have you believe) and his style is easy and flowing.
Well worth a read for fans of 'hard' science fiction. I'd tend to read the series in order, but I'm a bit of a completist, I think you could easily pick this up as a stand alone.
April 15, 2014
Being a fan of the McDevitt’s Hutch series, I was surprised when I found out there was another book being released. The last one I read, Cauldron, came out seven years ago, and seemed to bring the story of pilot Priscilla Hutchins to a satisfying conclusion. (After having been featured in six novels.) Then when I learned it was a prequel I wondered if it wasn’t a case of milking the character. There was no doubt I would read it, mind you. I just wondered if this book would hold up to the others.
In general, I think it does. Like all of the other books, excepting Deepsix, StarHawk is extremely episodic. It moves from one small adventure in Hutchins life to another. Also typical of the series, there are common narrative and character threads that link the episodes together, and the final episode—which is the largest climax—brings some of those threads to a close.
As a Hutch novel I think it is one of the weaker offerings, but there are still some really fun and interesting episodes here. I especially appreciated how the author managed to, at least symbolically, bring the character back to where she started—at the monument on Iapetus. That was a neat touch.
I also really liked the visit to the nomad planet. These sort of events are where the talent of McDevitt really shines. The wonder of the vast unexplored unknown. It is gripping stuff that excites the imagination.
All in all, a good offering. Worth reading if you’re a fan of the series, or if you want an introduction to the overall fulfilling series that it represents. I enjoyed it.
In general, I think it does. Like all of the other books, excepting Deepsix, StarHawk is extremely episodic. It moves from one small adventure in Hutchins life to another. Also typical of the series, there are common narrative and character threads that link the episodes together, and the final episode—which is the largest climax—brings some of those threads to a close.
As a Hutch novel I think it is one of the weaker offerings, but there are still some really fun and interesting episodes here. I especially appreciated how the author managed to, at least symbolically, bring the character back to where she started—at the monument on Iapetus. That was a neat touch.
I also really liked the visit to the nomad planet. These sort of events are where the talent of McDevitt really shines. The wonder of the vast unexplored unknown. It is gripping stuff that excites the imagination.
All in all, a good offering. Worth reading if you’re a fan of the series, or if you want an introduction to the overall fulfilling series that it represents. I enjoyed it.
August 26, 2014
McDevitt has a problem. He has this nice series of books about a Space Academy, featuring Priscilla Hutch Hutchins. The books are, generally, really fun reads. The problem? Hutch was getting old. In the fifth book, he moved her into a desk job, to the book's detriment. Turns out, this really isn't the Academy series. This is the Hutch series. Hutch needs to be the star player. Book six put her back into space, which was great to read, but the book suffered in other ways. Plus, now Hutch is, in the book's universe, getting a little old for action-packed space adventure.
What to do. What to do.
Ah ha! A prequel! See the start of Hutch's career!
And, you know, that's not a bad idea at all. The books isn't perfect. The overriding plot is thin. Hutch herself doesn't really do a whole lot of note. (Although that fits the prequel nature.) There are mysteries brought up that aren't resolved, presumedly as fodder for further books. (This sort of thing is awkward in a prequel, as none of the earlier-yet-later books mention these mysteries. Or maybe they do. It's been years since I read them. Hell, they're paper books!) Overall, a much improved read over the prior two books and a nice return to form for a great series.
What to do. What to do.
Ah ha! A prequel! See the start of Hutch's career!
And, you know, that's not a bad idea at all. The books isn't perfect. The overriding plot is thin. Hutch herself doesn't really do a whole lot of note. (Although that fits the prequel nature.) There are mysteries brought up that aren't resolved, presumedly as fodder for further books. (This sort of thing is awkward in a prequel, as none of the earlier-yet-later books mention these mysteries. Or maybe they do. It's been years since I read them. Hell, they're paper books!) Overall, a much improved read over the prior two books and a nice return to form for a great series.
January 22, 2014
I was pretty disappointed with this one. I am a big fan of both the Priscilla Hutchins and the Alex Benedict series. This one was a yawner. I'm used to McDevitt books where the story starts slow then builds in tension until you can't turn the pages fast enough. That was totally lacking here. It started out slow alright but it never picked up the pace. It just seemed like a series of vignettes that didn't connect together well. The ending seemed a bit forced. I don't think this series really needed a prequel. For heavens sake don't start here. Just read The Engines of God. That book will start you out right with Priscilla. Not to mention the absolutely eerie feel and tense pace it sets. Maybe I need to reread...
April 27, 2014
Pretty much the usual from McDevitt. A couple of intriguing glimpses of mysterious other civilizations, politics about the space program, the general thesis that the more things change the more they remain the same, and too much detail regarding ceremonies (a common flaw in SF&F), conversations that don't advance the story, etc. But still engaging and a good enough read when I don't feel like thinking too hard. Not as sexist as some of his other works (you get the sense in all his books that he TRIES not to be sexist, but he is, or at least chauvinistic--eg, the main characters are often female, but they are kind of passive, and it's the guys who get it done. Also, aside from a few bitchy females in top positions, there are SECRETARIES (really? we hardly have them anymore today) in the future, and they are all female). As far as sex itself goes, McDevitt writes about the most cold-bloodedly I've ever seen. The characters hook up, but all of them feel asexual. Emotion in general is not exactly present in his writing. But still. I like most of the stories.
May 29, 2014
McDevitt's latest novel is another Priscilla Hutchins novel, and is a prequel to the other books in the series. She gets her license, her nickname, and has her first adventures. Obviously nothing -too- surprising can happen that hasn't been referenced in the previously published (but set later chronologically) works, but we see an earlier Academy, some quotes from McCallister, and other settings and characters from the other books. He does a good job of showing the young Priscilla as being less mature and sure of herself, but still competent, quick-witted, and likeable. One of the predominant themes remain that people stay pretty much the same despite the way their surroundings change. It's not his best work, but still a very good science fiction adventure.
April 15, 2014
I'm a big fan of the Academy/Hutch series and after waiting a few years for Jack's latest, I couldn't wait to read this one. This is his classic space-opera that he has made his name off of. Priscilla is the main character in one, instead of a background player. Unfortunately, this is not as strong as the others. The book is mainly written as a group of short paragraphs and only occasionally does the plot fall into your typical chapter based book. The detail isn't quite as in-depth as the other six in this series. I know Jack is getting older but I hope better for the next one - I'm still a huge fan.
May 16, 2019
McDevitt, Jack. Starhawk. Academy No. 7. Ace, 2013.
The seventh novel in the Academy series takes us back to the beginning of Hutch’s career as an Interstellar pilot. If you like to read series in order of their internal timeline, this would be the first. Hutch is working in private industry and not finding it a good fit. It is not a good sign that he old utility freighter she is assigned to is nicknamed “Bomb.” It is certainly not well-suited to the high-speed rescue missions Hutch wants to use it for. Fun.
The seventh novel in the Academy series takes us back to the beginning of Hutch’s career as an Interstellar pilot. If you like to read series in order of their internal timeline, this would be the first. Hutch is working in private industry and not finding it a good fit. It is not a good sign that he old utility freighter she is assigned to is nicknamed “Bomb.” It is certainly not well-suited to the high-speed rescue missions Hutch wants to use it for. Fun.
December 6, 2014
I really enjoyed reading this latest adventure of Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins. Mr McDevitt has went back to Hutch's early career as an Interstellar Pilot. This story has plenty of action as well as several very interesting characters. I recommend it to all Jack McDevitt fans as well as all spaceflight adventures.
March 18, 2015
Politics, the dangers of space faring, environmental terrorism and amazing characters with some thought-provoking philosophies casually tossed in.
If you like the social politics of Star Trek, this is worth a look.
If you like the social politics of Star Trek, this is worth a look.
April 14, 2019
This book is pretty okay. It's par for the consistently readable if somewhat unexceptional Academy series. Except for just one thing.
You see, at the end of the previous novel, Cauldron, one character mentions how he's been researching the existence of other universes and whether perhaps it might be possible to travel to them. And so, when I started this novel and came across the first instance of this anomaly, I thought, "Now wait one second. Is this a continuity error? Or is it a hint to observant readers that this is not taking place in the same universe as the previous books?"
In Starhawk, McDevitt assigns a name to the foggy gray dimension that interstellar ships enter in order to effect FTL travel. Previously only referred to as "hyperspace", it is now named "Barber space". The term is used several times throughout Starhawk.
This fictional term, "Barber space", first appears in the series in Cauldron, as one of the names considered and rejected for an entirely different hyperspace dimension. This different dimension is a more recent discovery, and it enables much faster travel than the hyperspace known before it.
This rejected term "Barber space" originates from the name of the character who was most integral in discovering the new hyperspace and developing a drive to put ships through it, Henry Barber. Henry Barber was not, as far as the Academy series ever mentions up to this point, ever a part of the development of the older FTL technology. It is implied, though not certain, that Henry Barber was not even alive at the time it was developed. Rather, the person to whom that technology is attributed is Ginny Hazeltine, and the "Hazeltine drive" or "hazeltines" which ships use to travel in hyperspace are named after her.
But, after finishing the story, this name does not seem to be related in any way to parallel universes. This isn't an alternate universe where Ginny Hazeltine never discovered hyperspace and it had been left up to Henry Barber instead. It was just an egregious continuity error, and it drove me up the wall.
Jack why. It's hard for me to see how this could be an accidental error, since it made it past both you and whoever reviewed your drafts. But I can't explain it any other way. How do you even miss something like this?
You see, at the end of the previous novel, Cauldron, one character mentions how he's been researching the existence of other universes and whether perhaps it might be possible to travel to them. And so, when I started this novel and came across the first instance of this anomaly, I thought, "Now wait one second. Is this a continuity error? Or is it a hint to observant readers that this is not taking place in the same universe as the previous books?"
In Starhawk, McDevitt assigns a name to the foggy gray dimension that interstellar ships enter in order to effect FTL travel. Previously only referred to as "hyperspace", it is now named "Barber space". The term is used several times throughout Starhawk.
This fictional term, "Barber space", first appears in the series in Cauldron, as one of the names considered and rejected for an entirely different hyperspace dimension. This different dimension is a more recent discovery, and it enables much faster travel than the hyperspace known before it.
This rejected term "Barber space" originates from the name of the character who was most integral in discovering the new hyperspace and developing a drive to put ships through it, Henry Barber. Henry Barber was not, as far as the Academy series ever mentions up to this point, ever a part of the development of the older FTL technology. It is implied, though not certain, that Henry Barber was not even alive at the time it was developed. Rather, the person to whom that technology is attributed is Ginny Hazeltine, and the "Hazeltine drive" or "hazeltines" which ships use to travel in hyperspace are named after her.
But, after finishing the story, this name does not seem to be related in any way to parallel universes. This isn't an alternate universe where Ginny Hazeltine never discovered hyperspace and it had been left up to Henry Barber instead. It was just an egregious continuity error, and it drove me up the wall.
Jack why. It's hard for me to see how this could be an accidental error, since it made it past both you and whoever reviewed your drafts. But I can't explain it any other way. How do you even miss something like this?
August 31, 2019
Priscilla just passed her certification flight to be an interstellar pilot, but on the journey home from certification, they get called out to help another flight that's gone wrong. Their ship isn't actually big enough to save them and the next group coming to help is too far out. When they finally arrive home, Priscilla starts working for one company but decides she can't support their mission. She's been blacklisted from flying. Will she ever get back to flying? With all the political pressure against a mission, will flying even be an option?
This book reminded me more of the rest of this series, with the exception of The Long Sunset. Crazy stuff is going on, the political climate is creating pressure on space exploration, and things are always tense. But seeing a younger version of Priscilla is a little weird. In the rest of the series, she's this badass, she doesn't need anyone's help, and she's the first person people go to when things get rough. However, she's a much softer character with a lot of doubts (and really quite capable, if still quite green), but we don't ever get to see her grow from one place to the other. I'd say that'd be my biggest disappointment. I would have really liked to see the character growth. There's also this side plot that I don't want to give away, but I'm disappointed they never really got more answers with that.
Overall, after the first 30% - I could have done without a lot of the events that went on - I really enjoyed this book. I'll just throw it out there - multiple suicide trigger warning, if anyone else needs that. Really not necessary. Could have been written without. Especially the first 2, if that gives you any indication of how this went...
Other than that, I'll go 7 of 10 for enjoyment (mostly because I want a rewritten beginning) and 4 of 5 for readability. If you've read the rest of the series, it's interesting to see where spaceflight was when Priscilla was just starting out versus where it's at during the rest of the series. But I definitely think you could read this book first and not miss a whole lot.
For more reviews, check out bedroopedbookworms.wordpress.com!
This book reminded me more of the rest of this series, with the exception of The Long Sunset. Crazy stuff is going on, the political climate is creating pressure on space exploration, and things are always tense. But seeing a younger version of Priscilla is a little weird. In the rest of the series, she's this badass, she doesn't need anyone's help, and she's the first person people go to when things get rough. However, she's a much softer character with a lot of doubts (and really quite capable, if still quite green), but we don't ever get to see her grow from one place to the other. I'd say that'd be my biggest disappointment. I would have really liked to see the character growth. There's also this side plot that I don't want to give away, but I'm disappointed they never really got more answers with that.
Overall, after the first 30% - I could have done without a lot of the events that went on - I really enjoyed this book. I'll just throw it out there - multiple suicide trigger warning, if anyone else needs that. Really not necessary. Could have been written without. Especially the first 2, if that gives you any indication of how this went...
Other than that, I'll go 7 of 10 for enjoyment (mostly because I want a rewritten beginning) and 4 of 5 for readability. If you've read the rest of the series, it's interesting to see where spaceflight was when Priscilla was just starting out versus where it's at during the rest of the series. But I definitely think you could read this book first and not miss a whole lot.
For more reviews, check out bedroopedbookworms.wordpress.com!
September 27, 2023
Starhawk, by Jack McDevitt, was first published in 2013. It’s part of the Prescilla Hutchins stories as a prequel. The story follows Hutch as she qualifies as an interstellar pilot and how she tries to find her way in her career. If you’ve read Engine of the Gods, Chindi, or Omega, you’ll be familiar with Hutch later in her career.
As I read the previously mentioned stores, I wondered about how Prescilla had become Hutch, the revered interstellar pilot. We don’t get much of the story about what happened while she was training, but I think we get a good sense of it from her qualification flight with Jake. The first painful lesson she had to learn was that a good pilot sometimes has to sacrifice himself for the good of everyone else. We also get to see the toll that takes on people who knew and loved the pilot.
Through Jake, we get insights into why pilots are often single and why their relationships seldom work out; they’re world is just too different from that of the rest of us. After losing a close pilot friend, Jake re-evaluates his life choices and tries to settle down to a peaceful life on the ground. That comes to an end when he is called upon to pilot a research mission to a new world.
Hutch also learns that playing politics, as a pilot, is a good way to get blacklisted in her profession. Kosmik, an interstellar company, is terraforming a planet for human colonization, but they’re wiping out all the existing life in the process. This causes an outrage among activists who resort to terrorism to stop Kosmik from going any further. Hutch refuses to take another load of needed cargo to the world where Kosmik is working. As a result, nobody else will hire her and she’s stuck on the wheel doing administrative work.
I liked getting to see how Hutch grows into her job. You can really feel her eagerness to get out among the stars, but I think she really needed the time on the wheel to find herself. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you in the story throughout the novel, too. I highly recommend this one if you’re a space opera fan. Jack McDevitt proves, again, that he belongs up there with Clarke, Asimov, and Bova.
As I read the previously mentioned stores, I wondered about how Prescilla had become Hutch, the revered interstellar pilot. We don’t get much of the story about what happened while she was training, but I think we get a good sense of it from her qualification flight with Jake. The first painful lesson she had to learn was that a good pilot sometimes has to sacrifice himself for the good of everyone else. We also get to see the toll that takes on people who knew and loved the pilot.
Through Jake, we get insights into why pilots are often single and why their relationships seldom work out; they’re world is just too different from that of the rest of us. After losing a close pilot friend, Jake re-evaluates his life choices and tries to settle down to a peaceful life on the ground. That comes to an end when he is called upon to pilot a research mission to a new world.
Hutch also learns that playing politics, as a pilot, is a good way to get blacklisted in her profession. Kosmik, an interstellar company, is terraforming a planet for human colonization, but they’re wiping out all the existing life in the process. This causes an outrage among activists who resort to terrorism to stop Kosmik from going any further. Hutch refuses to take another load of needed cargo to the world where Kosmik is working. As a result, nobody else will hire her and she’s stuck on the wheel doing administrative work.
I liked getting to see how Hutch grows into her job. You can really feel her eagerness to get out among the stars, but I think she really needed the time on the wheel to find herself. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you in the story throughout the novel, too. I highly recommend this one if you’re a space opera fan. Jack McDevitt proves, again, that he belongs up there with Clarke, Asimov, and Bova.
December 17, 2019
This is my first time reading a Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchinson novel -- and also my first read from Jack McDevitt. I enjoyed this on a number of levels: the aliens are so cool and so uniquely *alien*; the setting and plot really captures the vast and wild and weird and unsettling hugeness of space; the book is set a century or two in the future but is reflective of today's issues. I liked our main characters. And it's one of the most compulsively readable sci-fis I've picked up in awhile; even when the plot wasn't moving at warp speed (which was often), I had trouble putting it down.
This would've been four stars if the ending hadn't done one of my least-favorite tropes:
... but! That aside: I liked Hutch a good bit, and I just really enjoyed *reading* this one. So three stars seems pretty solid.
This would've been four stars if the ending hadn't done one of my least-favorite tropes:
... but! That aside: I liked Hutch a good bit, and I just really enjoyed *reading* this one. So three stars seems pretty solid.
October 3, 2021
For those debating whether or not to read this before the rest of the Academy series since it's a prequel, my advice would be to start with "The Engines of God" and read the books in the order they were written. This is not McDevitt's best work and I'd hate for it to be someone's first experience with his writing or even just as an introduction to the Academy series. It starts out fairly promising with a first contact situation followed by a rescue that serves to introduce the main conflict in the book, terrorist attacks intended to stop the terraforming of other worlds. Unfortunately this is followed by about 200 pages in which nothing much happens aside from character development. (Okay, a couple of things happen but they tend to be very brief.) Things pick up towards the end of the book when another rescue mission leads to the discovery of a very unusual alien life form. Overall it's not a bad book but it's also not great. Some readers may be put off by the slow pace of the book and the fact that much of the story is focused on a lead character's first jobs after completing her training and before getting enough experience for people to trust her with anything really interesting.
August 28, 2019
(Review written some time after finishing the book, from memory, so a little vague.)
Saying that McDevitt is the logical heir to Clarke and Asimov may be overstating his importance ever so slightly. The further I got along the Academy series the more I realised how formulaic the novels were - perilous situations, heroic (and not-so-heroic) deaths, perhaps slightly dodgy science and a growing feeling that these are more akin to young adult novels than those of Clarke. (I can only remember reading one of Asimov's YA novels, and that was many years ago, so maybe the comparison is fair in that respect...)
But I still can't help but enjoy them. Despite the lack of depth, Hutch is one of my favourite characters in SF literature - a strong female lead, whose "origin" we see in this novel, which returns to a time earlier than the rest of the series. It's not the best of the series, but it's probably. overall, not the worst either.
It is a bit of a stretch that the opening chapter isn't mentioned again in the earlier books/later stories - maybe that is this series' "Star Trek: Discovery" moment.
Saying that McDevitt is the logical heir to Clarke and Asimov may be overstating his importance ever so slightly. The further I got along the Academy series the more I realised how formulaic the novels were - perilous situations, heroic (and not-so-heroic) deaths, perhaps slightly dodgy science and a growing feeling that these are more akin to young adult novels than those of Clarke. (I can only remember reading one of Asimov's YA novels, and that was many years ago, so maybe the comparison is fair in that respect...)
But I still can't help but enjoy them. Despite the lack of depth, Hutch is one of my favourite characters in SF literature - a strong female lead, whose "origin" we see in this novel, which returns to a time earlier than the rest of the series. It's not the best of the series, but it's probably. overall, not the worst either.
It is a bit of a stretch that the opening chapter isn't mentioned again in the earlier books/later stories - maybe that is this series' "Star Trek: Discovery" moment.
October 24, 2021
Just finished the full academy series, I'm glad it's over to be honest, this book especially failed in my opinion. Without reading the synopsis beforehand it wasn't until I was about 20% in I realised something was wrong and checked to find it's a prequel. I don't recall anything inside this being referenced in the previous books, some of which seems quite integral to the main storyline.
It also wasn't until around 60% that things got interesting, and then that was over with by 73%. The majority of this book is fluff that doesn't follow the main storyline of the series. Why do I care about how a baseball game is going, or why Jack felt the need to describe it in such detail when it really doesn't add anything to the premise or the series. It's just filler. A book full of filler. I was really disappointed by the end and wished I'd skipped it.
I don't think it's worth reading as a standalone at all either. After this I've decided to skip the Benedict series, if it's full of filler like most of this series I'll be better off.
It also wasn't until around 60% that things got interesting, and then that was over with by 73%. The majority of this book is fluff that doesn't follow the main storyline of the series. Why do I care about how a baseball game is going, or why Jack felt the need to describe it in such detail when it really doesn't add anything to the premise or the series. It's just filler. A book full of filler. I was really disappointed by the end and wished I'd skipped it.
I don't think it's worth reading as a standalone at all either. After this I've decided to skip the Benedict series, if it's full of filler like most of this series I'll be better off.
January 1, 2024
The beginning started out strong! It's a shame the rest of the book didn't live up to that promise. It starts out suspenseful and deeply interesting as the characters are in space attempting a rescue mission. As soon as that's done, however, the protagonist returns to the space station and most of the rest of the book is set either on station or on earth. There is a "romance" between the main character and some dude on earth that she is clearly ambivalent about at best. At it's best that plotline is boring and at worst cringy as he pursues her with enthusiasm and she just doesn't care but says yes occasionally.
Books set on a space station (or on earth) can be really interesting but this one wasn't, unfortunately. I read way, way more than was interesting because Deepsix was so good and I kept hoping something interesting would happen but it didn't. I finally gave up about 3/4 of the way through because reading it wasn't enjoyable at all.
Books set on a space station (or on earth) can be really interesting but this one wasn't, unfortunately. I read way, way more than was interesting because Deepsix was so good and I kept hoping something interesting would happen but it didn't. I finally gave up about 3/4 of the way through because reading it wasn't enjoyable at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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