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The Fourth Consort
Win a free print copy of this book!
2 days and 19:28:52
20 copies available
U.S. and Canada only
A new standalone sci-fi novel from Edward Ashton, author of Mickey7 (the inspiration for the major motion picture Mickey 17).
Dalton Greaves is a hero. He’s one of humankind’s first representatives to Unity, a pan-species confederation working to bring all sentient life into a single benevolent brotherhood.
That’s what they told him, anyway. The only actual members of Unity that he’s ever met are Boreau, a giant snail who seems more interested in plunder than spreading love and harmony, and Boreau’s human sidekick, Neera, who Dalton strongly suspects roped him into this gig so that she wouldn’t become the next one of Boreau’s crew to get eaten by locals while prospecting.
Funny thing, though—turns out there actually is a benevolent confederation out there, working for the good of all life. They call themselves the Assembly, and they really don’t like Unity. More to the point, they really, really don’t like Unity’s new human minions.
When an encounter between Boreau’s scout ship and an Assembly cruiser over a newly discovered world ends badly for both parties, Dalton finds himself marooned, caught between a stickman, one of the Assembly’s nightmarish shock troops, the planet’s natives, who aren’t winning any congeniality prizes themselves, and Neera, who might actually be the most dangerous of the three. To survive, he’ll need to navigate palace intrigue, alien morality, and a proposal that he literally cannot refuse, all while making sure Neera doesn’t come to the conclusion that he’s worth more to her dead than alive.
Part first contact story, part dark comedy, and part bizarre love triangle, The Fourth Consort asks an important how far would you go to survive? And more importantly, how many drinks would you need to go there?
Dalton Greaves is a hero. He’s one of humankind’s first representatives to Unity, a pan-species confederation working to bring all sentient life into a single benevolent brotherhood.
That’s what they told him, anyway. The only actual members of Unity that he’s ever met are Boreau, a giant snail who seems more interested in plunder than spreading love and harmony, and Boreau’s human sidekick, Neera, who Dalton strongly suspects roped him into this gig so that she wouldn’t become the next one of Boreau’s crew to get eaten by locals while prospecting.
Funny thing, though—turns out there actually is a benevolent confederation out there, working for the good of all life. They call themselves the Assembly, and they really don’t like Unity. More to the point, they really, really don’t like Unity’s new human minions.
When an encounter between Boreau’s scout ship and an Assembly cruiser over a newly discovered world ends badly for both parties, Dalton finds himself marooned, caught between a stickman, one of the Assembly’s nightmarish shock troops, the planet’s natives, who aren’t winning any congeniality prizes themselves, and Neera, who might actually be the most dangerous of the three. To survive, he’ll need to navigate palace intrigue, alien morality, and a proposal that he literally cannot refuse, all while making sure Neera doesn’t come to the conclusion that he’s worth more to her dead than alive.
Part first contact story, part dark comedy, and part bizarre love triangle, The Fourth Consort asks an important how far would you go to survive? And more importantly, how many drinks would you need to go there?
9 pages, Audiobook
First published February 25, 2025
221 people are currently reading
19742 people want to read
About the author
Edward Ashton
30 books1,447 followersEdward Ashton is the author of the novels Mickey7, Three Days in April and The End of Ordinary. His short fiction has appeared in venues ranging from the newsletter of an Italian sausage company to Escape Pod, Analog, and Fireside Fiction. He lives in upstate New York in a cabin in the woods (not that Cabin in the Woods) with his wife, a variable number of daughters, and an adorably mopey dog named Max, where he writes—mostly fiction, occasionally fact—under the watchful eyes of a giant woodpecker and a rotating cast of barred owls. In his free time, he enjoys cancer research, teaching quantum physics to sullen graduate students, and whittling. You can find him online at edwardashton.com or on Twitter @edashtonwriting.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 557 reviews
August 24, 2024
Wow, this was truly intriguing. I had doubts going into this if I'd like it or not.. but wow, this story was so compelling, emotional, and interesting. Breaker will forever be my favorite character. Dalton's moral decisions and character development were truly amazing to watch. This sci-fi book truly had me on the edge of my seat, unlike anything I've ever read before. I love that they had translators. It was truly hilarious when the translator and Dalton would bicker back and forth. I even giggled a bit about it and when Breaker made jokes or sarcastic comments. So many great parts of this story, I was in awe and amazed. I felt so deeply for Dalton, the Counselor and Breaker in different moments. I loved this thoroughly! Thank you for sharing your talent with the world Edward Ashton, this was a truly remarkable book!
I received this ARC from St. Martin's Press to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this ARC from St. Martin's Press to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
January 6, 2025
4.0 Stars
This author has a talent for constantly writing enjoyable science fiction novels. Like his previous novels, this one is a lighter sci fi story with the right balance of humor. I would recommend Ashton to readers who are a fan of John Scalzi and want another fun escapist author to follow.
I rarely appreciate humor in novels but this one had me smirking from the start. The humor is woven into the narrative in a way that worked for me.
I would recommend this novel as great representation of anyone looking to try out this author's work.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This author has a talent for constantly writing enjoyable science fiction novels. Like his previous novels, this one is a lighter sci fi story with the right balance of humor. I would recommend Ashton to readers who are a fan of John Scalzi and want another fun escapist author to follow.
I rarely appreciate humor in novels but this one had me smirking from the start. The humor is woven into the narrative in a way that worked for me.
I would recommend this novel as great representation of anyone looking to try out this author's work.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
February 6, 2025
The Fourth Consort
by Edward Ashton
Science Fiction
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Ages: 14+
After the death of his father, Dalton Greaves' life stops and he finds himself moving from day to day in a fog until his girlfriend dumps him and he gets a job offer a minute later from a woman, Neera.
Now he is working as a representative for Unity, a group of 'pan-species' working to bring all sentient life into a single 'benevolent brotherhood'. There is another group that calls themselves the 'Assembly' who also claim they are trying to do the same, and they do not like/trust humans.
Neera and Dalton find themselves visiting the same planet as an Assembly ship, and after an event in orbit, both teams find themselves marooned. With Neera staying in the ship, Dalton finds himself dragged into a political fight, becoming the fourth consort of the ruling queen.
I have the feeling this was intended to be a 'Mickey' story. There are so many similarities! I get that things like that happen, a story goes one way so a pending idea will no longer work, (though I can think of a few ways to merge the stories...)
There were some funnies, but I felt the story was a little flat. The characters, especially Neera, are not thought out in great detail, almost as if they are hurried replacements from an original idea. And none of them gave me a reason to care for them, though Breaker, I didn't/don't trust him.
It's not a bad story, though it could use a lot more world, character, and plot building, but it moved along at a decent pace.
If this becomes a series, which I can think of a few ways it could, I would be interested in reading the next.
Not a lot of violence or other questionable content so it's suitable for readers fourteen and older.
3 Stars
by Edward Ashton
Science Fiction
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Ages: 14+
After the death of his father, Dalton Greaves' life stops and he finds himself moving from day to day in a fog until his girlfriend dumps him and he gets a job offer a minute later from a woman, Neera.
Now he is working as a representative for Unity, a group of 'pan-species' working to bring all sentient life into a single 'benevolent brotherhood'. There is another group that calls themselves the 'Assembly' who also claim they are trying to do the same, and they do not like/trust humans.
Neera and Dalton find themselves visiting the same planet as an Assembly ship, and after an event in orbit, both teams find themselves marooned. With Neera staying in the ship, Dalton finds himself dragged into a political fight, becoming the fourth consort of the ruling queen.
I have the feeling this was intended to be a 'Mickey' story. There are so many similarities! I get that things like that happen, a story goes one way so a pending idea will no longer work, (though I can think of a few ways to merge the stories...)
There were some funnies, but I felt the story was a little flat. The characters, especially Neera, are not thought out in great detail, almost as if they are hurried replacements from an original idea. And none of them gave me a reason to care for them, though Breaker, I didn't/don't trust him.
It's not a bad story, though it could use a lot more world, character, and plot building, but it moved along at a decent pace.
If this becomes a series, which I can think of a few ways it could, I would be interested in reading the next.
Not a lot of violence or other questionable content so it's suitable for readers fourteen and older.
3 Stars
November 10, 2025
Mickey 7 & was so much cooler! This was decent!
Solid 3 stars!!!
Solid 3 stars!!!
January 23, 2025
This fast-paced exploration of cultural differences, honor, and human expectations is a lot of fun. You are thrown right into the action and it doesn’t slow down, with really strong pacing. There isn’t really a lot of meat on the bones here, which is perfectly fine. The story has an objective and the writing and pacing outline and aim toward that the whole time, so you are never bored.
The main character was interesting and felt genuine and understandable. The ancillary characters were fun, but I do think they could have been filled out a little more. That is especially true for two of the ancillary characters, Neera and Breaker, both who had an important influence on our main character’s journey. They both were fun, but felt like they had more potential. Another pair of ancillary characters, the second and third consorts, provided a wonderfully dry comic relief and they fulfilled their narrative role splendidly. Overall the characters were fun and worked in the story, but across the board we could have spent a little more time with any of them and I wouldn’t have minded.
The writing was simple and direct, which worked for the story. Sometimes it felt a little too self-aware for my tastes, once in a while being a little heavier handed on the meta sarcasm than needed, which did take away a little of the gravitas that the character and situation kind of warranted. It was never too excessive though, it was just a few one-liners that felt like a hat on a hat. However, overall the tone worked, and approached a life-and-death situation with a levity that made it fun to tag along. Every chapter we got one paragraph or so, usually but not always at the start of a chapter, describing something about our main character’s past, filling in his life history, especially as it applies to whatever situation that chapter finds him in. Some of these felt a little too convenient, but overall it was a really effective structure. It never slowed down the main action, allowing for the tight and propulsive pacing to continue, but it gave more color to the character and to his reactions and decisions.
The story did approach some interesting ideas, but it never went that far with any of them. Obviously the overall intergalactic projects of the two companies, the Unity and the Assembly, to make contact with and safeguard/shepherd sentient life on other planets, has a whole lot of social and moral ideas wrapped up in it, ideas that are never really explored. What is more explored is the idea of honor, and what it means to be truthful to yourself in the face of differing cultural expectations. These ideas were interesting, but these too felt pretty simplistic in their exploration. While our main character had the appearance of going on an inner journey it didn’t feel all that profound or remarkable. This is in part because we didn’t see him acting in any ways contradictory to the moral place he ends up, we just have to trust that this was a journey for him, especially as it is contrasted with his coworker’s decisions. So I wasn’t entirely sold on the journey, nor on the depth of investigation into any of the ideas that are broached, but you know what? That is perfectly fine. Because this story was quick and fun and to the point, and the fact that it very explicitly even brought up these ideas gave me something to think about. There wasn’t a lot of internal wrestling on the characters’ parts but that doesn’t mean they didn’t offer interesting things to explore outside of the story’s pages. Plus, while I don’t know how epic or transformative of an inner journey our main character may have gone on, I still really enjoyed where he ended up. It felt like the right place for our character, and it was a satisfying way for the events of the story to unfold. Nothing felt forced or hackneyed, and even the story developments that were expected were still enjoyable.
This story is quick and fun, with interesting characters and alien races that I enjoyed spending time with. The writing and style for the story well, being very fast-paced with a story that kept you turning pages. The world-building was simple but effective, an expanded version of our world that was easy to fall into and felt believable. I wouldn’t have minded if some of the ancillary characters had a little more to do, and maybe if there were a few other misdirects or supplementary stories or ideas explored, but that is because I enjoyed the world and characters and felt the time with them too brief. Yes, the story could have gone a little deeper, but it is hard to fault it for not overstaying its welcome, especially if the ride is as fun as this one is.
I want to thank the author, the publisher St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The main character was interesting and felt genuine and understandable. The ancillary characters were fun, but I do think they could have been filled out a little more. That is especially true for two of the ancillary characters, Neera and Breaker, both who had an important influence on our main character’s journey. They both were fun, but felt like they had more potential. Another pair of ancillary characters, the second and third consorts, provided a wonderfully dry comic relief and they fulfilled their narrative role splendidly. Overall the characters were fun and worked in the story, but across the board we could have spent a little more time with any of them and I wouldn’t have minded.
The writing was simple and direct, which worked for the story. Sometimes it felt a little too self-aware for my tastes, once in a while being a little heavier handed on the meta sarcasm than needed, which did take away a little of the gravitas that the character and situation kind of warranted. It was never too excessive though, it was just a few one-liners that felt like a hat on a hat. However, overall the tone worked, and approached a life-and-death situation with a levity that made it fun to tag along. Every chapter we got one paragraph or so, usually but not always at the start of a chapter, describing something about our main character’s past, filling in his life history, especially as it applies to whatever situation that chapter finds him in. Some of these felt a little too convenient, but overall it was a really effective structure. It never slowed down the main action, allowing for the tight and propulsive pacing to continue, but it gave more color to the character and to his reactions and decisions.
The story did approach some interesting ideas, but it never went that far with any of them. Obviously the overall intergalactic projects of the two companies, the Unity and the Assembly, to make contact with and safeguard/shepherd sentient life on other planets, has a whole lot of social and moral ideas wrapped up in it, ideas that are never really explored. What is more explored is the idea of honor, and what it means to be truthful to yourself in the face of differing cultural expectations. These ideas were interesting, but these too felt pretty simplistic in their exploration. While our main character had the appearance of going on an inner journey it didn’t feel all that profound or remarkable. This is in part because we didn’t see him acting in any ways contradictory to the moral place he ends up, we just have to trust that this was a journey for him, especially as it is contrasted with his coworker’s decisions. So I wasn’t entirely sold on the journey, nor on the depth of investigation into any of the ideas that are broached, but you know what? That is perfectly fine. Because this story was quick and fun and to the point, and the fact that it very explicitly even brought up these ideas gave me something to think about. There wasn’t a lot of internal wrestling on the characters’ parts but that doesn’t mean they didn’t offer interesting things to explore outside of the story’s pages. Plus, while I don’t know how epic or transformative of an inner journey our main character may have gone on, I still really enjoyed where he ended up. It felt like the right place for our character, and it was a satisfying way for the events of the story to unfold. Nothing felt forced or hackneyed, and even the story developments that were expected were still enjoyable.
This story is quick and fun, with interesting characters and alien races that I enjoyed spending time with. The writing and style for the story well, being very fast-paced with a story that kept you turning pages. The world-building was simple but effective, an expanded version of our world that was easy to fall into and felt believable. I wouldn’t have minded if some of the ancillary characters had a little more to do, and maybe if there were a few other misdirects or supplementary stories or ideas explored, but that is because I enjoyed the world and characters and felt the time with them too brief. Yes, the story could have gone a little deeper, but it is hard to fault it for not overstaying its welcome, especially if the ride is as fun as this one is.
I want to thank the author, the publisher St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 4, 2025
The Fourth Consort promises an entertaining mix of alien diplomacy, political intrigue, and humor, but it ends up being less of a thrill ride than I signed up for.
Dalton Greaves, an ex-soldier turned reluctant emissary, is stranded on a bug-filled planet and awkwardly crowned as consort to the alien queen. That setup sounds wild, right? It is, but the book doesn’t really lean into the absurdity or go deep into the politics. Instead, we get surface-level world-building and a main character who’s just kind of… there. Dalton isn’t terrible, but he’s so passive it’s hard to root for him.
The alien culture and political drama are cool in theory but undercooked in practice. The translator chip, with its snarky potential, barely gets a chance to shine. Some reviewers compare it to Ray Nayler's excellent "Mountain at The Sea", but it's nowhere near.
On the bright side, it’s fast-paced and has its funny moments, even if some of the jokes feel a little forced. Overall, it’s an okay read-not awful, not amazing.
Dalton Greaves, an ex-soldier turned reluctant emissary, is stranded on a bug-filled planet and awkwardly crowned as consort to the alien queen. That setup sounds wild, right? It is, but the book doesn’t really lean into the absurdity or go deep into the politics. Instead, we get surface-level world-building and a main character who’s just kind of… there. Dalton isn’t terrible, but he’s so passive it’s hard to root for him.
The alien culture and political drama are cool in theory but undercooked in practice. The translator chip, with its snarky potential, barely gets a chance to shine. Some reviewers compare it to Ray Nayler's excellent "Mountain at The Sea", but it's nowhere near.
On the bright side, it’s fast-paced and has its funny moments, even if some of the jokes feel a little forced. Overall, it’s an okay read-not awful, not amazing.
March 26, 2025
2.5 Stars
Displaying Ashton’s signature humor, The Fourth Consort takes place in outer space in a sci-fi light comedy. A short and quick read. Enjoyable but I did wish for a little more substance.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Displaying Ashton’s signature humor, The Fourth Consort takes place in outer space in a sci-fi light comedy. A short and quick read. Enjoyable but I did wish for a little more substance.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
August 31, 2025
Dalton Greaves is a human from modern day Earth who's been recruited by an alien and his human sidekick to be a contact team for "Unity", supposedly a peaceful federation of worlds, but feels more like a way of extracting resources. While on a mission to the planet of an intelligent species called minarchs, Unity's competition "the Assembly" turn up with a competing mission. The Assembly look like they're the real deal, an actual peaceful federation of worlds with a very poor opinion of Unity and its agents.
The minarchs are horrifically scary aliens, predator-descended and heavily matriarchal so Dalton is at a double disadvantage. The Assembly's representative is a mantis like alien that the Unity refers to as a "stickman", and he's also a predator-descended species. All these groups have hidden motives and fair-to-bad translation software, so Dalton pretty quickly gets caught up in drama.
This is good, but it's extremely similar to Mickey 7 and it's sequel. There's a basically feckless male main character, an extremely competent female character who doesn't do a lot except heckle the main character and provide timely assistance when the plot calls for it. And there's aliens with unknown motives and problems communicating with them. It's also quite funny in places.
It also has an ending that leaves space for a sequel.
The minarchs are horrifically scary aliens, predator-descended and heavily matriarchal so Dalton is at a double disadvantage. The Assembly's representative is a mantis like alien that the Unity refers to as a "stickman", and he's also a predator-descended species. All these groups have hidden motives and fair-to-bad translation software, so Dalton pretty quickly gets caught up in drama.
This is good, but it's extremely similar to Mickey 7 and it's sequel. There's a basically feckless male main character, an extremely competent female character who doesn't do a lot except heckle the main character and provide timely assistance when the plot calls for it. And there's aliens with unknown motives and problems communicating with them. It's also quite funny in places.
It also has an ending that leaves space for a sequel.
November 19, 2024
The Fourth Consort is one of my favorite books of 2024. (I know, it doesn’t come out until 2025, but I read an advance reader copy.) It was fun to read, and I really had no idea what to expect. I stayed up late into the night reading it, something I haven’t done in some time. Both the main character and the characters around him surprised me. Some of the plot twists also surprised me.
This is not what I’d call an action story. It’s a character study. The main character is a human, stuck on a planet with a race of sentient and intelligent insects. Dalton works for a consortium that evaluates intelligent life. Also on the planet is an individual from a different insect species that also represents a consortium evaluating intelligent life. The two consortia are rivals. The AI translating the various languages is sarcastic and not always helpful. The climactic battle to rescue Dalton takes place off stage and doesn’t quite end the way one might expect. Dalton is a military veteran of two combat tours who received three Purple Hearts, and he is very thoughtful about how much fighting and killing is really necessary. He is also grieving and battling PTSD.
Other readers may compare The Fourth Consort to other stories, but I found it fresh and engrossing. If I were to compare it to anything, it would be to the feel of the best of Star Trek. It’s morally very thoughtful. It’s so nice to read something hopeful every now and then. Ashton’s Mickey7 comes out as a movie in 2025; I hope a movie version of The Fourth Consort is also in the works.
I read an advance reader copy of The Fourth Consort from Netgalley.
This is not what I’d call an action story. It’s a character study. The main character is a human, stuck on a planet with a race of sentient and intelligent insects. Dalton works for a consortium that evaluates intelligent life. Also on the planet is an individual from a different insect species that also represents a consortium evaluating intelligent life. The two consortia are rivals. The AI translating the various languages is sarcastic and not always helpful. The climactic battle to rescue Dalton takes place off stage and doesn’t quite end the way one might expect. Dalton is a military veteran of two combat tours who received three Purple Hearts, and he is very thoughtful about how much fighting and killing is really necessary. He is also grieving and battling PTSD.
Other readers may compare The Fourth Consort to other stories, but I found it fresh and engrossing. If I were to compare it to anything, it would be to the feel of the best of Star Trek. It’s morally very thoughtful. It’s so nice to read something hopeful every now and then. Ashton’s Mickey7 comes out as a movie in 2025; I hope a movie version of The Fourth Consort is also in the works.
I read an advance reader copy of The Fourth Consort from Netgalley.
April 7, 2025
Nope. Not even worth my time to review it. Just no.
August 27, 2025
I haven’t had the best luck with science fiction this year, but The Fourth Consort was a fun, spacy romp I think most sci fi readers would really like!
At first I was a bit iffy on the humor. It walks the line on being a bit too absurdist for my taste, but thankful the author just toed the line for me and didn’t cross it.
Our main character, Dalton Graves, is recruited from Earth by fellow human Neera to join Unity, a pan-species confederation with the supposed mission to bring all sentient life into one big, harmonious family.
However, shortly after joining up with Unity, Dalton suspects that the confederation may not be as benevolent as they appear. When Dalton’s scout ship encounters another confederation called the Assembly-a confederation Unity has told him is malevolent and destructive- Dalton’s world is upended.
He forms an uneasy relationship with one of the Assembly’s stickman. My favorite part of the book was their relationship! They have great banter and we learn a lot about the politics and cultures of each species through their interactions.
At times I wished some of the dialogue seemed more alien if that makes sense. The dialogue sometimes came across as too pop culture or trendy, and I’d forget this was taking place much further into the future when no one would speak this way.
But overall, I had a fun time reading this book! I haven’t read Micky 7 yet, but it did make me want to pick up other books from this author.
*Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.
At first I was a bit iffy on the humor. It walks the line on being a bit too absurdist for my taste, but thankful the author just toed the line for me and didn’t cross it.
Our main character, Dalton Graves, is recruited from Earth by fellow human Neera to join Unity, a pan-species confederation with the supposed mission to bring all sentient life into one big, harmonious family.
However, shortly after joining up with Unity, Dalton suspects that the confederation may not be as benevolent as they appear. When Dalton’s scout ship encounters another confederation called the Assembly-a confederation Unity has told him is malevolent and destructive- Dalton’s world is upended.
He forms an uneasy relationship with one of the Assembly’s stickman. My favorite part of the book was their relationship! They have great banter and we learn a lot about the politics and cultures of each species through their interactions.
At times I wished some of the dialogue seemed more alien if that makes sense. The dialogue sometimes came across as too pop culture or trendy, and I’d forget this was taking place much further into the future when no one would speak this way.
But overall, I had a fun time reading this book! I haven’t read Micky 7 yet, but it did make me want to pick up other books from this author.
*Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.
March 10, 2025
Review originally on JamReads
The Fourth Consort is an excellent sci-fi novel, written by Edward Ashton (Mickey7, Mal Goes To War), and published by Solaris Book. An absolutely astounding mix between a lot of humour, alien politics and the interventionism over social orders, supported by an excellent cast of secondary characters and a deep exploration of themes such as conquest, exploitation and colonization.
An intriguing story following Dalton Greaves, an ex-soldier turned into emissary for the Unity, a pan-species federation working to bring all sentient life into a "benevolent brotherhood", and against the efforts of the Assembly, a group that claims to do the same. Stranded into a bug-alien planet after an event, he will find himself entangled into a political fight, becoming the fourth consort of the ruling queen; all while Breaker, a stickman from the Assembly, is also trying to bring the species towards his own organization. We will not only see how the alien society works, but also how Breaker and Greaves will slowly get together, and even understand how notions such as honor work from their own prism.
Ashton brilliantly weaves a fun story which encloses a fair share of social commentary, all while we keep wondering which will be the next desventure our Greaves will suffer while on his role for the Unity; the difficult societal equilibrium that is broken as a result of external interference, and the structures of power seen from the eyes of a foreigner. Personally, I totally enjoyed the kind of bromance that is established between Greaves and Breaker, coming from really different backgrounds, but that slowly coming into shared grounds, breaking those preconceived ideas they had. Unity and Assembly are no more than two aspects of the same kind of colonialism, applied to the universe.
I have to recognise that even if the world-building is just secondary to the story, I was particularly intrigued by how this bug-alien society was organised; we get a glimpse of their traditions and rituals, but from the lense of a foreigner with his own targets. The pacing is really on the spot, making of this a book that you quickly devour.
The Fourth Consort is a fun but clever novel, an excellent proposal that I heartily recommend if you are interested in exploring themes such as assimilation and colonialism in a sci-fi setting. Another excellent novel by Edward Ashton, proving he's a powerhouse of the genre.
The Fourth Consort is an excellent sci-fi novel, written by Edward Ashton (Mickey7, Mal Goes To War), and published by Solaris Book. An absolutely astounding mix between a lot of humour, alien politics and the interventionism over social orders, supported by an excellent cast of secondary characters and a deep exploration of themes such as conquest, exploitation and colonization.
An intriguing story following Dalton Greaves, an ex-soldier turned into emissary for the Unity, a pan-species federation working to bring all sentient life into a "benevolent brotherhood", and against the efforts of the Assembly, a group that claims to do the same. Stranded into a bug-alien planet after an event, he will find himself entangled into a political fight, becoming the fourth consort of the ruling queen; all while Breaker, a stickman from the Assembly, is also trying to bring the species towards his own organization. We will not only see how the alien society works, but also how Breaker and Greaves will slowly get together, and even understand how notions such as honor work from their own prism.
Ashton brilliantly weaves a fun story which encloses a fair share of social commentary, all while we keep wondering which will be the next desventure our Greaves will suffer while on his role for the Unity; the difficult societal equilibrium that is broken as a result of external interference, and the structures of power seen from the eyes of a foreigner. Personally, I totally enjoyed the kind of bromance that is established between Greaves and Breaker, coming from really different backgrounds, but that slowly coming into shared grounds, breaking those preconceived ideas they had. Unity and Assembly are no more than two aspects of the same kind of colonialism, applied to the universe.
I have to recognise that even if the world-building is just secondary to the story, I was particularly intrigued by how this bug-alien society was organised; we get a glimpse of their traditions and rituals, but from the lense of a foreigner with his own targets. The pacing is really on the spot, making of this a book that you quickly devour.
The Fourth Consort is a fun but clever novel, an excellent proposal that I heartily recommend if you are interested in exploring themes such as assimilation and colonialism in a sci-fi setting. Another excellent novel by Edward Ashton, proving he's a powerhouse of the genre.
June 25, 2025
3.5 The Fourth Consort is a classic four-star plot with a three-star execution. This is an adventure of diplomacy gone wrong as a human representative is forced into an ambassadorial mission on an alien planet. The aliens quickly insist that he marry their queen and become her Fourth Consort, and he quickly realizes he may be in over his head. This is a fun comedy sci-fi with lots of twists and turns. A lot of the humor comes from the challenges of translating and communicating while in a tricky political position. There's just this whiff of bestseller rot, though. It's mostly dialogue, it's light and episodic, a 70s sci-fi comedy throwback with broad appeal, just like his other books.
October 31, 2024
3.5 stars
I love alien stories, and I love first contact alien stories in particular - so when this also added "bizarre love triangle" in the mix I was hooked immediately. Unfortunately, there was neither "love" nor "triangle" in any shape or form - but thankfully still plenty of aliens and first contact shenanigans.
Content warnings include: death, injury, borderline slavery/loss of autonomy.
Despite all of the base hooks appealing to me, I was a bit wary of this as I was quite underwhelmed by another book by the author, Mickey7. I'm happy to say though, I enjoyed The Fourth Consort much more, though I can also see similarities in the author's style that are not my favourites.
I am not the biggest fan of flashbacks. This book had plenty, though they were (thankfully) kept rather short. They also made sense and tied directly into what was happening in the story, mostly at least (though I could have done without quite a few of them). I still wish the storytelling had been more linear overall.
The character work was quite weak. None of them really felt deep or truly fleshed out. I had no clue about the true motivations or feelings of any of the characters. Even the protagonist, Dalton, was sort of nothing - which, to be fair, is also a personality trait, I suppose. If nothing else, he was brave.
Unfortunately, that lack of character depth lead to a narrative that felt emotionally removed from the characters and events of the story. To be fair, that worked well with the comedic parts and tone of the writing, so maybe that was the intention all along.
While there is humor, I wouldn't say this is a funny book. It's mostly situational comedy, putting a human context on alien situations. Personally I found it almost too comical to the point of being distracting - I think that was at least partially because I find the subject matter of first contact stories and exploring alien cultures, combined with political intrigue and diplomatic negotiations so interesting. So to approach all that in a less than serious matter wasn't my favourite - or rather, I just wanted more from all of it. Instead, what I got only just scratched the surface.
I still enjoyed all those aspects of the story, as well as the plot twists, though I also would have enjoyed more of it. That said, I think some central aspects were criminally underutilized.
A small example is the sentient translator chip in Dalton's ear, which sometimes gives snarky commentary. It could have been used for so much more cool things!
A much bigger and more crucial example: the whole consort business. I still have no clue what exactly the purpose of it all was. Without going into too much detail or giving too much away, Dalton is simply declared consort of the head-alien, but there is no why or how or really what that even means, other than vague surface level "here are your new quarters" kind of stuff.
(I also wished the other consorts had been more relevant as characters, but alas, not like any other characters got more attention.)
What bothered me the most about this book was that it definitely was not an alien romance - that is fine! - but it almost sort of pretends that it is? But it reads like it also did not want to commit to that. I did not really expect a romance going it, and there was none, but some details almost made me think there would be some. I think the most egregious example both for that romance part, as well as the lack of commitment to is, is that at multiple points in the book the word "partner" is used... just to be switched to "friend" in the last chapter. The switch is not explained, but it's implied that it is because the sentient translator got better at translating over time. I found that almost cowardly, like come on, just commit to the bit at this point, don't chicken out! (Full disclosure though, I read an ARC so the choice of words may be subject to change in the final copy.)
On the other hand, the previously mentioned weak characters applied to the not-love interest as well, as well as to the relationship between him and Dalton, so maybe it was for the best. I would have loved to see more of their relationship, or even a second book about them, but this is advertised as a standalone.
Ultimately this is a fun, fast-paced alien first-contact adventure with dominant comedy elements and surface level intrigue and mystery plots. The advertising is not at all accurate with the "love triangle" bit, so beware, I definitely fell for it and was disappointed.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily
I love alien stories, and I love first contact alien stories in particular - so when this also added "bizarre love triangle" in the mix I was hooked immediately. Unfortunately, there was neither "love" nor "triangle" in any shape or form - but thankfully still plenty of aliens and first contact shenanigans.
Content warnings include: death, injury, borderline slavery/loss of autonomy.
Despite all of the base hooks appealing to me, I was a bit wary of this as I was quite underwhelmed by another book by the author, Mickey7. I'm happy to say though, I enjoyed The Fourth Consort much more, though I can also see similarities in the author's style that are not my favourites.
I am not the biggest fan of flashbacks. This book had plenty, though they were (thankfully) kept rather short. They also made sense and tied directly into what was happening in the story, mostly at least (though I could have done without quite a few of them). I still wish the storytelling had been more linear overall.
The character work was quite weak. None of them really felt deep or truly fleshed out. I had no clue about the true motivations or feelings of any of the characters. Even the protagonist, Dalton, was sort of nothing - which, to be fair, is also a personality trait, I suppose. If nothing else, he was brave.
Unfortunately, that lack of character depth lead to a narrative that felt emotionally removed from the characters and events of the story. To be fair, that worked well with the comedic parts and tone of the writing, so maybe that was the intention all along.
While there is humor, I wouldn't say this is a funny book. It's mostly situational comedy, putting a human context on alien situations. Personally I found it almost too comical to the point of being distracting - I think that was at least partially because I find the subject matter of first contact stories and exploring alien cultures, combined with political intrigue and diplomatic negotiations so interesting. So to approach all that in a less than serious matter wasn't my favourite - or rather, I just wanted more from all of it. Instead, what I got only just scratched the surface.
I still enjoyed all those aspects of the story, as well as the plot twists, though I also would have enjoyed more of it. That said, I think some central aspects were criminally underutilized.
A small example is the sentient translator chip in Dalton's ear, which sometimes gives snarky commentary. It could have been used for so much more cool things!
A much bigger and more crucial example: the whole consort business. I still have no clue what exactly the purpose of it all was. Without going into too much detail or giving too much away, Dalton is simply declared consort of the head-alien, but there is no why or how or really what that even means, other than vague surface level "here are your new quarters" kind of stuff.
(I also wished the other consorts had been more relevant as characters, but alas, not like any other characters got more attention.)
What bothered me the most about this book was that it definitely was not an alien romance - that is fine! - but it almost sort of pretends that it is? But it reads like it also did not want to commit to that. I did not really expect a romance going it, and there was none, but some details almost made me think there would be some. I think the most egregious example both for that romance part, as well as the lack of commitment to is, is that at multiple points in the book the word "partner" is used... just to be switched to "friend" in the last chapter. The switch is not explained, but it's implied that it is because the sentient translator got better at translating over time. I found that almost cowardly, like come on, just commit to the bit at this point, don't chicken out! (Full disclosure though, I read an ARC so the choice of words may be subject to change in the final copy.)
On the other hand, the previously mentioned weak characters applied to the not-love interest as well, as well as to the relationship between him and Dalton, so maybe it was for the best. I would have loved to see more of their relationship, or even a second book about them, but this is advertised as a standalone.
Ultimately this is a fun, fast-paced alien first-contact adventure with dominant comedy elements and surface level intrigue and mystery plots. The advertising is not at all accurate with the "love triangle" bit, so beware, I definitely fell for it and was disappointed.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily
March 9, 2025
The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton
challenging (for all the wrong reasons).
Slow-paced
Plot or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? It's complicated
2.5 Stars
Suffice it to say, this book/story was not for me. This was an eArc given to me by Net Galley for a fair and honest review...and that's the ONLY reason that I actually finished this book, instead of DNFing it.
I thought it would be a good idea to reread Mickey7, then read its sequel, then read the next published book, Mal Goes to War (even though it was not related to the previous series), BEFORE reading The Fourth Consort.
Looking back on this strategy may not have been the right one. That being said, I'm not sure that IF this book was the first story written by this author would've been better, but it couldn't have been worse (sadly).
The way that I viewed this story, is from the anti-Starship Troopers model that Robert Heinlein used (mindless bugs...until you get to the Brain), and also the trope was used in the Alien franchise of movies. Even Orson Scott Card used a similar trope in Ender's Game. In this story, the "bugs" were thinkers, and possibly thought TOO much.
The overall story was TOO convoluted and overcomplicated. In a sense, it seemed to me...the reader, that the author was trying to make a statement...and in doing so, put me to sleep.
I kept putting the book down, just not getting a rhythm with the story, then picking up another book (by another author) and reading it in a day (or two). Then picking this book up, and struggling to read more than a chapter. Then not wanting to pick it up, again.
At first, I thought it was because I got over-saturated by this author's prose (having read all his latest published books), but...no, that wasn't it.
I just never connected with the protagonist, nor the antagonists. The setting was too similar to his previous works, and still different.
I hope someone else likes this book. I really do. I love reading from new authors, and I'm hoping that the next book I pick up from Edward Ashton will be one that I love (or at least tollerate). Sadly, this was one was NOT for me.
challenging (for all the wrong reasons).
Slow-paced
Plot or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? It's complicated
2.5 Stars
Suffice it to say, this book/story was not for me. This was an eArc given to me by Net Galley for a fair and honest review...and that's the ONLY reason that I actually finished this book, instead of DNFing it.
I thought it would be a good idea to reread Mickey7, then read its sequel, then read the next published book, Mal Goes to War (even though it was not related to the previous series), BEFORE reading The Fourth Consort.
Looking back on this strategy may not have been the right one. That being said, I'm not sure that IF this book was the first story written by this author would've been better, but it couldn't have been worse (sadly).
The way that I viewed this story, is from the anti-Starship Troopers model that Robert Heinlein used (mindless bugs...until you get to the Brain), and also the trope was used in the Alien franchise of movies. Even Orson Scott Card used a similar trope in Ender's Game. In this story, the "bugs" were thinkers, and possibly thought TOO much.
The overall story was TOO convoluted and overcomplicated. In a sense, it seemed to me...the reader, that the author was trying to make a statement...and in doing so, put me to sleep.
I kept putting the book down, just not getting a rhythm with the story, then picking up another book (by another author) and reading it in a day (or two). Then picking this book up, and struggling to read more than a chapter. Then not wanting to pick it up, again.
At first, I thought it was because I got over-saturated by this author's prose (having read all his latest published books), but...no, that wasn't it.
I just never connected with the protagonist, nor the antagonists. The setting was too similar to his previous works, and still different.
I hope someone else likes this book. I really do. I love reading from new authors, and I'm hoping that the next book I pick up from Edward Ashton will be one that I love (or at least tollerate). Sadly, this was one was NOT for me.
August 16, 2025
Тру аннотация: мужская дружба победила бабский гарем.
☆ в Mickey 7 автор препарировал вопросы личности, индивидуальности и корпоративной бездушности. Здесь он покусился на культуру чести. Каждый встречный инопланетянин предлагает Далтону героически умереть на дуэли и не позорить свой род, а Далтон трусливо прячется в щелях, мимикрирует в тон ковра и охуевает от абсурдности ситуации. Потому что у людей, в отличие от инопланетян, есть мозг (но это не точно).
☆ мир с интересным политическим раскладом, в котором человечество только пешка, но сюжет кончается жирным to be continued. Которого не будет, потому что книга не взлетела.
☆ автор по-прежнему любит боевых женщин, даже если у этих женщин теперь вместо пистолета - клешни. Одобряю.
☆ к сожалению, это авторский дебют, который вытащили из стола на волне успеха Mickey 7. И это видно. Текст настолько плох, что я в процессе развлекалась сочинением бдсмной гейской аушки про Далтона.
На этом и дотянула до финала.
Две звезды.
☆ в Mickey 7 автор препарировал вопросы личности, индивидуальности и корпоративной бездушности. Здесь он покусился на культуру чести. Каждый встречный инопланетянин предлагает Далтону героически умереть на дуэли и не позорить свой род, а Далтон трусливо прячется в щелях, мимикрирует в тон ковра и охуевает от абсурдности ситуации. Потому что у людей, в отличие от инопланетян, есть мозг (но это не точно).
☆ мир с интересным политическим раскладом, в котором человечество только пешка, но сюжет кончается жирным to be continued. Которого не будет, потому что книга не взлетела.
☆ автор по-прежнему любит боевых женщин, даже если у этих женщин теперь вместо пистолета - клешни. Одобряю.
☆ к сожалению, это авторский дебют, который вытащили из стола на волне успеха Mickey 7. И это видно. Текст настолько плох, что я в процессе развлекалась сочинением бдсмной гейской аушки про Далтона.
На этом и дотянула до финала.
Две звезды.
February 12, 2025
Still you think that the fact that we descended from the goddamned sky would get us some kind of respect, wouldn't you?
I'll write more tomorrow when I am feeling better. Suffice to say that I like this one better than Mickey7, and that was a great book!
I'll write more tomorrow when I am feeling better. Suffice to say that I like this one better than Mickey7, and that was a great book!
November 7, 2024
I love when sci-fi is done so well that it can appeal to the masses and particularly to those readers who are typically adverse to the genre. The Fourth Consort absolutely hit that mark for me. It was entertaining, intriguing, and exciting. It took place in an unnamed future and technology had advanced in a way that wasn't explained - and I was here for it. Ashton didn't bog us down with technical jargon or unnecessary explanations. In fact, he jumped right into the story and let the story speak for itself. It was marvelous!
I loved how the plot and characters developed. We got flashbacks of Dalton's former life on Earth and how he came to be a space traveler. We also learned of prior missions, a few other worlds, and the overall goal of the current mission throughout the course of the book. This information was provided naturally and without sidelining or derailing the main plot. The execution was flawless.
As someone intrigued by sociology and psychology, this book incorporated many of those elements. Learning the culture of another species and world, their behaviors, and hearing of their customs was fascinating. I liked the technological aspects included with the translators and the weapons and I appreciated even more that while they existed, we weren't inundated with exactly what they were or how they came to be.
While this novel was certainly sci-fi and set in some unknown future, it really didn't feel that far off. Maybe it won't happen in my lifetime, but I can totally see a Boreau coming to our planet and facilitating interstellar travel. I can absolutely envision a Neera and Dalton infiltrating the Minarch's planet and learning their customs and "saving" their peoples from demise.
Overall, The Fourth Consort was excellent. A great story, well-laid out plot, and good writing. I absolutely recommend. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the copy.
I loved how the plot and characters developed. We got flashbacks of Dalton's former life on Earth and how he came to be a space traveler. We also learned of prior missions, a few other worlds, and the overall goal of the current mission throughout the course of the book. This information was provided naturally and without sidelining or derailing the main plot. The execution was flawless.
As someone intrigued by sociology and psychology, this book incorporated many of those elements. Learning the culture of another species and world, their behaviors, and hearing of their customs was fascinating. I liked the technological aspects included with the translators and the weapons and I appreciated even more that while they existed, we weren't inundated with exactly what they were or how they came to be.
While this novel was certainly sci-fi and set in some unknown future, it really didn't feel that far off. Maybe it won't happen in my lifetime, but I can totally see a Boreau coming to our planet and facilitating interstellar travel. I can absolutely envision a Neera and Dalton infiltrating the Minarch's planet and learning their customs and "saving" their peoples from demise.
Overall, The Fourth Consort was excellent. A great story, well-laid out plot, and good writing. I absolutely recommend. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the copy.
July 26, 2025
3.5 stars. A fun standalone sci-fi story. It's a light read: our human hero acts as a poorly trained ambassador to insectoid aliens and experiences only slightly more culture clash than between, say, the French and the English. I very much liked the AI translator, though.
February 23, 2025
Thank you to Rebellion and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
We follow Dalton, who ends up on a mission to another planet along with Neera as a representative from a pan species confederation. Things don't exactly go to plan with the natives, and story takes some turns.
I had fun with this. It was action packed with parts that made me laugh, and with heart. An enjoyable if fairly forgettable read.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
We follow Dalton, who ends up on a mission to another planet along with Neera as a representative from a pan species confederation. Things don't exactly go to plan with the natives, and story takes some turns.
I had fun with this. It was action packed with parts that made me laugh, and with heart. An enjoyable if fairly forgettable read.
March 2, 2025
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve had the pleasure of being an early reader for all of the books in this series and I look forward to any other books that come out in this universe! I hope they continue to turn the books into movies! This is completely different than Mickey but equally entertaining and intriguing! I would definitely recommend if you’re into science fiction set in space/ other universes!
I’ve had the pleasure of being an early reader for all of the books in this series and I look forward to any other books that come out in this universe! I hope they continue to turn the books into movies! This is completely different than Mickey but equally entertaining and intriguing! I would definitely recommend if you’re into science fiction set in space/ other universes!
January 21, 2025
Dalton, the human. Neera, his human counterpart and navigator of their ship. An alien planet with insect-like creatures with their own political system and problems.
Breaker, Dalton's enemy.
A fight for survival with unexpected alliances.
Breaker, Dalton's enemy.
A fight for survival with unexpected alliances.
April 21, 2025
Dalton Greaves falls into work with Unity, a pan-species association that is attempting to bring all sentient life in the galaxy into a single group after his life on Earth takes a downturn. He doesn't ask a lot of questions when Neera, a human woman, recruits him.
Neera works with Boreau, a giant snail-like being, whose motives seem more mercenary, and financial, rather than in harmony with the ethos of Unity. The longer Dalton stays with Boreau, the more he thinks he's there to take the fall, and get eaten by any aliens they encounter while on a new Unity mission.
There is another confederation which is doing work similar to Unity, calling themselves the Assembly, who seem to actually seem to hue closer to their stated mission, to recruit new alien cultures to the Assembly so everyone can live harmoniously. The Assembly really, really does not like the Unity, and their new human servants, and in a battle between Boreau's ship and an Assembly cruiser over a newly discovered world, Dalton and Neera find themselves marooned on the planet below, with a stickman, an Assembly soldier, and the planet's native ruling species not happy with the humans.
Neera stays on board their ship, while Dalton and the stickman, named Breaker, are taken in by the nightmarishly insectoid ruling species. Dalton is held captive, and discovers he's in the middle of a political situation that the different sides of the species intend to solve violently.
Dalton learns more about the minarch species, and gradually befriends Breaker, much to Neera's consternation, whose intentions begin diverging from Dalton's the longer the spends with the minarch.
Edward Ashton's humour is present throughout this first contact story. Interestingly, while his “Mickey7” did not work for me, I greatly enjoyed this book. It's fast-paced, moves back and forth between Dalton's present circumstances and his dead end past, giving us a better picture of the man, and why he ends up jumping at Neera's offer. And why, despite all of Neera's urgings, finds himself empathizing with the very beings who constantly threaten to kill him, including Breaker, who proves to be such a wonderful character. The stickman is gently humorous, unexpectedly sensitive, and insightful. Dalton also connects with one of the minarch, the Counselor, who is trying to navigate an increasingly fraught situation within the minarch leadership, and who proves to be surprisingly sympathetic as the story progresses.
I also loved the ending, which though a little surprising, was also in keeping in with Dalton's responses to his evolving situation, leading to a resolution that was organic, and resolved Dalton's competing duties and interests.
I both listened and read this story, and greatly enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Barrie Kreinik, who perfectly captures Dalton's sarcasm, and empathy. I loved the way Kreinik voiced Neera, whose self-interest was delivered in a wryly funny way, and her Breaker made me sympathize almost immediately with this deadly and intriguing being.
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for these ARCs in exchange for my review.
Neera works with Boreau, a giant snail-like being, whose motives seem more mercenary, and financial, rather than in harmony with the ethos of Unity. The longer Dalton stays with Boreau, the more he thinks he's there to take the fall, and get eaten by any aliens they encounter while on a new Unity mission.
There is another confederation which is doing work similar to Unity, calling themselves the Assembly, who seem to actually seem to hue closer to their stated mission, to recruit new alien cultures to the Assembly so everyone can live harmoniously. The Assembly really, really does not like the Unity, and their new human servants, and in a battle between Boreau's ship and an Assembly cruiser over a newly discovered world, Dalton and Neera find themselves marooned on the planet below, with a stickman, an Assembly soldier, and the planet's native ruling species not happy with the humans.
Neera stays on board their ship, while Dalton and the stickman, named Breaker, are taken in by the nightmarishly insectoid ruling species. Dalton is held captive, and discovers he's in the middle of a political situation that the different sides of the species intend to solve violently.
Dalton learns more about the minarch species, and gradually befriends Breaker, much to Neera's consternation, whose intentions begin diverging from Dalton's the longer the spends with the minarch.
Edward Ashton's humour is present throughout this first contact story. Interestingly, while his “Mickey7” did not work for me, I greatly enjoyed this book. It's fast-paced, moves back and forth between Dalton's present circumstances and his dead end past, giving us a better picture of the man, and why he ends up jumping at Neera's offer. And why, despite all of Neera's urgings, finds himself empathizing with the very beings who constantly threaten to kill him, including Breaker, who proves to be such a wonderful character. The stickman is gently humorous, unexpectedly sensitive, and insightful. Dalton also connects with one of the minarch, the Counselor, who is trying to navigate an increasingly fraught situation within the minarch leadership, and who proves to be surprisingly sympathetic as the story progresses.
I also loved the ending, which though a little surprising, was also in keeping in with Dalton's responses to his evolving situation, leading to a resolution that was organic, and resolved Dalton's competing duties and interests.
I both listened and read this story, and greatly enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Barrie Kreinik, who perfectly captures Dalton's sarcasm, and empathy. I loved the way Kreinik voiced Neera, whose self-interest was delivered in a wryly funny way, and her Breaker made me sympathize almost immediately with this deadly and intriguing being.
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for these ARCs in exchange for my review.
March 3, 2025
A light, sci-fi adventure on an alien world for a human rep who finds out the task he was assigned might have been misrepresented putting him and all humanity in danger. The Fourth Consort, my first Edward Ashton book, drew my attention because I was told his writing style and plots are similar to another sci-fi author I already enjoy. One glance at the blurb and the cover had me ready to take off on this fun adventure to the stars.
The Fourth Consort is told with a linear timeline that gets interrupted by flashbacks explaining how things came to be the way they currently are. Dalton is a decorated military vet who is good at diplomatic work and now finds himself involved in a First Contact situation that is fraught with intrigue and danger. There are two alien coalitions and humans are on shaky ground with both now a small group is stuck on an alien planet. He’s working with a Unity snail alien who has a human assistant and the Assembly’s shock troop Stickman, and now is meeting another insectoid alien race where he gets claimed as consort which ups the ante for him in his capacity as First Contact in a diplomatic career work. Dalton needs to get the contact right learning cultural and social protocol on the fly for this new race with an AI that translation work is individual and the AI has a snarky sense of humor.
There is a romance, but it feels more space opera than sci-fi romance in that the romance is there, but not given much focus like the work and interactions Dalton has with the various aliens involved. I liked Dalton and the interactions with the main group of alien characters and his AI, but this felt easy-going and entertaining more than a dramatic and serious sci-fi. Since I was expecting a lot of humor, I was ready for this tone and was in the mood for it.
All in all, this was a fun first outing with the author’s books and I recommend it to those who want something light on scientific details, but includes lots of page time meeting and engaging with truly alien aliens and a spot of alien romance for the big hero, and some wit and bantering humor mostly from the AI. I look forward to trying the author’s backlist and recommend this to Space Opera and light sci-fi fans.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 2.26.25.
The Fourth Consort is told with a linear timeline that gets interrupted by flashbacks explaining how things came to be the way they currently are. Dalton is a decorated military vet who is good at diplomatic work and now finds himself involved in a First Contact situation that is fraught with intrigue and danger. There are two alien coalitions and humans are on shaky ground with both now a small group is stuck on an alien planet. He’s working with a Unity snail alien who has a human assistant and the Assembly’s shock troop Stickman, and now is meeting another insectoid alien race where he gets claimed as consort which ups the ante for him in his capacity as First Contact in a diplomatic career work. Dalton needs to get the contact right learning cultural and social protocol on the fly for this new race with an AI that translation work is individual and the AI has a snarky sense of humor.
There is a romance, but it feels more space opera than sci-fi romance in that the romance is there, but not given much focus like the work and interactions Dalton has with the various aliens involved. I liked Dalton and the interactions with the main group of alien characters and his AI, but this felt easy-going and entertaining more than a dramatic and serious sci-fi. Since I was expecting a lot of humor, I was ready for this tone and was in the mood for it.
All in all, this was a fun first outing with the author’s books and I recommend it to those who want something light on scientific details, but includes lots of page time meeting and engaging with truly alien aliens and a spot of alien romance for the big hero, and some wit and bantering humor mostly from the AI. I look forward to trying the author’s backlist and recommend this to Space Opera and light sci-fi fans.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 2.26.25.
February 6, 2025
I adore Edward Ashton’s books! He’s so good at what I will call ‘cozy sci-fi’. There are always stakes, but Ashton expertly weaves peril with humor and heart . The characters in this story, even the AI translator, are all infused with their own personalities, which made for some really funny scenes. The Second and Third consorts were hilarious and had me laughing out loud several times. And Dalton was a fantastic MMC. Discovering his past and how he came to be where he is was fascinating, and watching his character development throughout the story was so rewarding. But my favorite thing about the story was the interactions between Dalton and Breaker, their unlikely alliance, and eventual friendship. It was just so wholesome and charming. If you enjoy the humor and heart of Andy Weir, Martha Wells or John Scalzi I highly recommend The Fourth Consort! 4.5/5 Stars 🌟
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Edward Ashton for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The Fourth Consort is a fun read and a unique take on the spaceman's adventure, sort of a fusion with palace intrigue and the classic hero's journey. I really enjoyed how thorough and well-thought-out the alien interactions were -- the translation errors, the irreconcilable cultural and psychological differences, the physiologies. World building details that creative are such a breath of fresh air. The flashbacks were an interesting way to build a character as well.
I was a little unsatisfied by the ending, how parts of the mysteries remained unsolved. Likely some readers prefer a more realistic ending that way, but I wish they would have been mentioned so it didn't just seem like the author forgot about them. For me, this book was 4 stars until the end.
TLDR: A fun, fast-paced, super creative spaceman sci-fi; refreshing if not fully satisfying.
The Fourth Consort is a fun read and a unique take on the spaceman's adventure, sort of a fusion with palace intrigue and the classic hero's journey. I really enjoyed how thorough and well-thought-out the alien interactions were -- the translation errors, the irreconcilable cultural and psychological differences, the physiologies. World building details that creative are such a breath of fresh air. The flashbacks were an interesting way to build a character as well.
I was a little unsatisfied by the ending, how parts of the mysteries remained unsolved. Likely some readers prefer a more realistic ending that way, but I wish they would have been mentioned so it didn't just seem like the author forgot about them. For me, this book was 4 stars until the end.
TLDR: A fun, fast-paced, super creative spaceman sci-fi; refreshing if not fully satisfying.
February 20, 2025
This book had a lot going on with it. It was funny and such an easy book to listen to. I basically listened to this in less than 24 hours because it just felt like a quick read. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator. While this book is mainly male, it is actually a feminine narrator who does it, which I actually feel like adds to the story. I actually didn’t even question it until I was already halfway through the story and surprised that they didn’t use a male voice narrator. However, I thought the narrator did a fantastic job and loved the translator bits. This was set in space and had a very sci-fi feel to it when reading. And the humor through was just so good. I laughed out loud several times. If you enjoy science fiction books set in space, then definitely check this one out! I really hope that this one might become a series or have a spinoff or something.
I received a free ALC of this book which in no way affects my review.
I received a free ALC of this book which in no way affects my review.
February 26, 2025
The Fourth Consort is such a fun space romp, one in which humans are the aliens, and the culture shock is real. Dalton has found himself on a sort of Alien Welcome Wagon mission to reach out to new worlds, see what's happening, etc. He knows very little about what he's to be doing, but when he and his coworker find themselves on a planet that isn't exactly keen to chat with humans or their allies, he finds himself doing whatever he can to keep himself alive long enough for a rescue.
As it turns out, this is a matriarchal society, and males (of any species) are felt to be fairly useless, more akin to pets than fellow sentients. Dalton winds up being the ultimate "pet"- the fourth consort to the leader, and if he can stay alive long enough, perhaps he can keep all parties involved from killing each other- and him. It is funny, from start to finish, even when the stakes are high and lives are in jeopardy. That levity makes the book very readable, and keeps Dalton's journey extra entertaining. It says this is a standalone, but I rather hope it is not- there is a conclusion, but there is also lots of room for more, and I hope that the door is open for a sequel someday!
Bottom Line: Even though the stakes are high, the lightheartedness and comedic elements make it both fun and exciting.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
As it turns out, this is a matriarchal society, and males (of any species) are felt to be fairly useless, more akin to pets than fellow sentients. Dalton winds up being the ultimate "pet"- the fourth consort to the leader, and if he can stay alive long enough, perhaps he can keep all parties involved from killing each other- and him. It is funny, from start to finish, even when the stakes are high and lives are in jeopardy. That levity makes the book very readable, and keeps Dalton's journey extra entertaining. It says this is a standalone, but I rather hope it is not- there is a conclusion, but there is also lots of room for more, and I hope that the door is open for a sequel someday!
Bottom Line: Even though the stakes are high, the lightheartedness and comedic elements make it both fun and exciting.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
November 3, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the ARC.
Edward Ashton’s The Fourth Consort is a remarkable addition to the first-contact science fiction genre, delving into the intricate realms of language, culture, and the inevitable miscommunications that arise when two vastly different civilizations collide. I absolutely loved this book! Ashton, known for his sharp wit and compelling storytelling in Mickey7, has once again crafted a world that feels immersive and thought-provoking.
In The Fourth Consort, humanity encounters an alien species so different from our own that even their ways of thinking are almost incomprehensible. Ashton masterfully illustrates how difficult (and often absurdly frustrating) true communication can be, especially when there is no shared cultural context. Ashton’s use of misunderstandings and mistranslations cleverly highlights how language is not just words but a vast cultural web that shapes how we see the world—and each other.
One of the most compelling aspects of the story is how Ashton tackles the common tropes in first-contact stories with a fresh perspective. Instead of relying on standard science fiction stereotypes, Ashton digs deeper into what happens when both sides genuinely strive to understand one another, even when faced with what seems like insurmountable differences. The story is as much about what it means to be human as it is about the aliens themselves, and that makes it resonate on a profound level.
Speaking of Mickey7, fans of that novel (like me!) will be thrilled to know that Ashton’s knack for blending action, humor, and philosophical musings continues here. After Mickey7 was picked up for a movie, I'm even more excited to see how his unique storytelling style will translate to the screen, as this book feels cinematic in scope and richly layered in themes.
Overall, The Fourth Consort is a must-read for science fiction lovers, especially those interested in stories of first contact that explore language, culture, and the inherent messiness of trying to understand the unfamiliar. Ashton’s thoughtful exploration of communication and culture clash is as entertaining as it is enlightening. Highly recommended!
Edward Ashton’s The Fourth Consort is a remarkable addition to the first-contact science fiction genre, delving into the intricate realms of language, culture, and the inevitable miscommunications that arise when two vastly different civilizations collide. I absolutely loved this book! Ashton, known for his sharp wit and compelling storytelling in Mickey7, has once again crafted a world that feels immersive and thought-provoking.
In The Fourth Consort, humanity encounters an alien species so different from our own that even their ways of thinking are almost incomprehensible. Ashton masterfully illustrates how difficult (and often absurdly frustrating) true communication can be, especially when there is no shared cultural context. Ashton’s use of misunderstandings and mistranslations cleverly highlights how language is not just words but a vast cultural web that shapes how we see the world—and each other.
One of the most compelling aspects of the story is how Ashton tackles the common tropes in first-contact stories with a fresh perspective. Instead of relying on standard science fiction stereotypes, Ashton digs deeper into what happens when both sides genuinely strive to understand one another, even when faced with what seems like insurmountable differences. The story is as much about what it means to be human as it is about the aliens themselves, and that makes it resonate on a profound level.
Speaking of Mickey7, fans of that novel (like me!) will be thrilled to know that Ashton’s knack for blending action, humor, and philosophical musings continues here. After Mickey7 was picked up for a movie, I'm even more excited to see how his unique storytelling style will translate to the screen, as this book feels cinematic in scope and richly layered in themes.
Overall, The Fourth Consort is a must-read for science fiction lovers, especially those interested in stories of first contact that explore language, culture, and the inherent messiness of trying to understand the unfamiliar. Ashton’s thoughtful exploration of communication and culture clash is as entertaining as it is enlightening. Highly recommended!
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