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Keiko #1
Dark Run
The Keiko is a ship of smugglers, soldiers of fortune and adventurers, travelling Earth’s colony planets searching for the next job. And nobody talks about their past.
But when a face from Captain Ichabod Drift’s former life send them on a run to Old Earth, all the rules change.
Trust will be broken, and blood will be spilled.
But when a face from Captain Ichabod Drift’s former life send them on a run to Old Earth, all the rules change.
Trust will be broken, and blood will be spilled.
Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2015
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About the author
Mike Brooks
78 books544 followersMike Brooks was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and moved to Nottingham when he was 18 to go to university. He’s stayed there ever since, and now lives with his wife, two cats, two snakes and a collection of tropical fish. When not working for a homelessness charity he plays guitar and sings in a punk band, watches football (soccer), MMA and nature/science documentaries, goes walking in the Peak District or other areas of splendid scenery, and DJs wherever anyone will tolerate him.
And, y’know, writes.
And, y’know, writes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
March 5, 2024
Old-school space heist.
A bunch of law fugitives with a dark past get screwed by their employer while doing something "slightly" illegal. Now they're trying to get revenge on him by stealing all his money.
Simple plot, a lot of action and predictable characters' dynamic remind a lot cheap sci-fi TV series. It's not bad but very much within its genre. Recommend only to fans.
A bunch of law fugitives with a dark past get screwed by their employer while doing something "slightly" illegal. Now they're trying to get revenge on him by stealing all his money.
Simple plot, a lot of action and predictable characters' dynamic remind a lot cheap sci-fi TV series. It's not bad but very much within its genre. Recommend only to fans.
June 16, 2016
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/06/16/...
Dark Run by Mike Brooks is a sci-fi adventure novel that first made its debut in the UK in the summer of 2015 to some pretty good reviews, and I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed that the book and its sequel Dark Sky were both made available in the US in audio format last month. I ended up deciding to give it a shot because a) I’ve never met a swashbuckling space romp audiobook I didn’t like, and b) the book stole my attention the moment I saw many a reviewer compare it to Firefly.
After finishing the book myself, I have to say the comparisons are somewhat accurate. Dark Run follows the exploits of the crew of the Keiko, led by its daring captain Ichabod Drift. One day, an old friend comes a-knocking and Drift is unexpectedly presented with a mission he cannot refuse—literally. On pain of death, he is forced to pick up a mysterious cargo and deliver it to a location on old Earth at a very specific time and date. The whole smuggling run smells fishy, but what choice does Drift have? In order to protect his friends from his past, he’ll also have to keep his employer’s identity a secret. Of course, that doesn’t sit right with the crew of the Keiko at all, though with the amount of money they’re being paid, Drift knows they’ll happily let it go…for now.
The calm doesn’t last. As the Keiko makes its approach towards their drop-off point on Earth, their carefully laid out plans suddenly go awry, and the crew find themselves in a serious dilemma. Not only does Drift have to come clean about their mission, he may have just put them all in grave danger. Tensions spark as old histories come to the surface, but can the crew of the Keiko get past them in order to exact vengeance on a new ruthless enemy?
Admittedly, both the plot and characters of Dark Run feel rather formulaic, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, certain formulas are successful for a reason, and this book falls squarely in the “Space Western” sub-category of science fiction, borrowing heavily from its themes and tropes. You have your pirates and smugglers and slicers, gun-slinging action and daring space maneuvers. Most of the story also takes place in gritty, lawless settings like information broker dens, seedy bars, mercenary markets, and even underground fight clubs.
However, the characters are the main draw. Despite being your typical heist team archetypes, they were also interesting and fun. Ichabod Drift is the captain, an enigmatic man with a devil-may-care attitude who nevertheless runs a tight ship. He’s trying to escape a dark personal history, but then so are most of his crew on the Keiko. They even have a rule on board: No talking about your past.
That suits their newest slicer just fine, a young woman named Jenna who was recruited for her incredible tech skills and talent for being able to break into any system. After Drift, she had the most POV sections. Next is Tamara Rourke, an experienced spacer who guards her past more fiercely than anyone else on board, including their captain. Where Rourke came from is a mystery, but having worked together on many jobs after all these years, Drift trusts her implicitly. She is also highly intelligent, frequently overseeing the details behind all their operations. If Rourke is the brains, then Apirana is the muscle, a big Maori man with a soft heart who lives in constant fear that one day his intense and terrible temper will take him over and make him do something he’ll regret. Next up are the siblings Jia and Kuai; one is an ace pilot while the other is a master mechanic. Finally, we have our weapons expert, a mercenary named Micah who loves all things that go boom.
This feels like the sort of ensemble cast I’ve seen many times before, but thankfully their individual quirks also make them very endearing. Each person brings something unique to the story, which is fast-paced and full of excitement. Still, I think I preferred the first half of the book a lot more than the second, because whereas the beginning held all the mystery and tension, the later parts held more of the talking, planning, and avenging. The entire story is solid, but personally I’ve always felt an inclination towards the parts with more anticipation rather than the actual action.
In terms of audiobook comments, I can find no cause to complain about anything in its production or the narrator. In fact, I was very impressed with the reading by Damien Lynch. Due to the diverse background of the crew, Lynch had to narrate with an accent through pretty much the entire book, constantly switching to the appropriate one depending on which character was speaking. He is very good with voices, and even with such a large cast there was never a problem with identifying who was speaking. I enjoyed his narration so much that I’ll likely to stick with the audiobook format for the sequel.
Speaking of which, I am very interested in the future adventures of the crew of the Keiko. I’d love to revisit these character again and learn more about their backgrounds. All told, Dark Run was an entertaining and fast read, filled with fun sci-fi action.
Dark Run by Mike Brooks is a sci-fi adventure novel that first made its debut in the UK in the summer of 2015 to some pretty good reviews, and I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed that the book and its sequel Dark Sky were both made available in the US in audio format last month. I ended up deciding to give it a shot because a) I’ve never met a swashbuckling space romp audiobook I didn’t like, and b) the book stole my attention the moment I saw many a reviewer compare it to Firefly.
After finishing the book myself, I have to say the comparisons are somewhat accurate. Dark Run follows the exploits of the crew of the Keiko, led by its daring captain Ichabod Drift. One day, an old friend comes a-knocking and Drift is unexpectedly presented with a mission he cannot refuse—literally. On pain of death, he is forced to pick up a mysterious cargo and deliver it to a location on old Earth at a very specific time and date. The whole smuggling run smells fishy, but what choice does Drift have? In order to protect his friends from his past, he’ll also have to keep his employer’s identity a secret. Of course, that doesn’t sit right with the crew of the Keiko at all, though with the amount of money they’re being paid, Drift knows they’ll happily let it go…for now.
The calm doesn’t last. As the Keiko makes its approach towards their drop-off point on Earth, their carefully laid out plans suddenly go awry, and the crew find themselves in a serious dilemma. Not only does Drift have to come clean about their mission, he may have just put them all in grave danger. Tensions spark as old histories come to the surface, but can the crew of the Keiko get past them in order to exact vengeance on a new ruthless enemy?
Admittedly, both the plot and characters of Dark Run feel rather formulaic, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, certain formulas are successful for a reason, and this book falls squarely in the “Space Western” sub-category of science fiction, borrowing heavily from its themes and tropes. You have your pirates and smugglers and slicers, gun-slinging action and daring space maneuvers. Most of the story also takes place in gritty, lawless settings like information broker dens, seedy bars, mercenary markets, and even underground fight clubs.
However, the characters are the main draw. Despite being your typical heist team archetypes, they were also interesting and fun. Ichabod Drift is the captain, an enigmatic man with a devil-may-care attitude who nevertheless runs a tight ship. He’s trying to escape a dark personal history, but then so are most of his crew on the Keiko. They even have a rule on board: No talking about your past.
That suits their newest slicer just fine, a young woman named Jenna who was recruited for her incredible tech skills and talent for being able to break into any system. After Drift, she had the most POV sections. Next is Tamara Rourke, an experienced spacer who guards her past more fiercely than anyone else on board, including their captain. Where Rourke came from is a mystery, but having worked together on many jobs after all these years, Drift trusts her implicitly. She is also highly intelligent, frequently overseeing the details behind all their operations. If Rourke is the brains, then Apirana is the muscle, a big Maori man with a soft heart who lives in constant fear that one day his intense and terrible temper will take him over and make him do something he’ll regret. Next up are the siblings Jia and Kuai; one is an ace pilot while the other is a master mechanic. Finally, we have our weapons expert, a mercenary named Micah who loves all things that go boom.
This feels like the sort of ensemble cast I’ve seen many times before, but thankfully their individual quirks also make them very endearing. Each person brings something unique to the story, which is fast-paced and full of excitement. Still, I think I preferred the first half of the book a lot more than the second, because whereas the beginning held all the mystery and tension, the later parts held more of the talking, planning, and avenging. The entire story is solid, but personally I’ve always felt an inclination towards the parts with more anticipation rather than the actual action.
In terms of audiobook comments, I can find no cause to complain about anything in its production or the narrator. In fact, I was very impressed with the reading by Damien Lynch. Due to the diverse background of the crew, Lynch had to narrate with an accent through pretty much the entire book, constantly switching to the appropriate one depending on which character was speaking. He is very good with voices, and even with such a large cast there was never a problem with identifying who was speaking. I enjoyed his narration so much that I’ll likely to stick with the audiobook format for the sequel.
Speaking of which, I am very interested in the future adventures of the crew of the Keiko. I’d love to revisit these character again and learn more about their backgrounds. All told, Dark Run was an entertaining and fast read, filled with fun sci-fi action.
June 5, 2016
Dark Run is a predictable, low-engagement outer space western. There is a discernible difference between being derivative and being completely allergic to originality, and this book is a sterling example of the latter.
The story moves along at a brisk enough pace, and Brooks is a proficient and capable writer. All things considered, Dark Run is not terrible. But the fundamental problem, one that kept my ability to enjoy it in check, is the novel's protagonist. Ichabod Drift is meant to be a "likeable rogue" in the Mal Reynolds/Han Solo mold, but is not nearly as likeable as the author intends him to be. He's generally pretty shitty, and not even in an entertaining or compelling way. There were too many times I wondered why his crew didn't just shove him out an airlock and be done with him.
The story moves along at a brisk enough pace, and Brooks is a proficient and capable writer. All things considered, Dark Run is not terrible. But the fundamental problem, one that kept my ability to enjoy it in check, is the novel's protagonist. Ichabod Drift is meant to be a "likeable rogue" in the Mal Reynolds/Han Solo mold, but is not nearly as likeable as the author intends him to be. He's generally pretty shitty, and not even in an entertaining or compelling way. There were too many times I wondered why his crew didn't just shove him out an airlock and be done with him.
March 23, 2018
16/9 - I just can't get this review started. I've had a number of pages marked for discussion for days now, but every time I find the time to get started writing I suddenly decide I need to do something else (on or off the internet) and I never end up getting to the review. I figured I'd give writing by hand in my journal a go and just put pen to paper and see where I end up. So far I've got: a lot more mistakes (no delete button) and my hand writing is barely legible (even to me), but that's not what I need. I need conclusions about Dark Run. I guess an important thing to note is that I very nearly gave up on page 97, but a fight and an interesting development in one of the character's backgrounds saved the book at the last minute. For a sci-fi set in space surprisingly little happened. The previous 96 pages had all been exposition and 'get to know you' dialogue, I was quite bored and with a pile of books 17 books tall (that's just physical and just counting the library books) I felt quite justified in saying that I refused to waste my time any further on this book. One line saved Dark Run from the DNF pile "Hey! Mongrel!". When I read that I thought "Ooh! What's found Apirana and what are they going to do about their discovery?" and then when Jenna revealed some mysterious skills I became even more interested and no longer felt like DNFing. So, my message to anyone who finds the first 100 pages boring, it does get better if you can make it past page 97. To be continued...
Oh, those pages I had marked for discussion? The first page was 16 - "...to wobble like an shivering epileptic...". First, that metaphor? That's just a silly metaphor, as my mum put it when she heard it. Of course, that's a matter of opinion. What's not a matter of opinion is the erroneous use of 'an' instead of 'a'. The second was page 117 - "...laden with enough sulkiness to float a battleship." I don't get that metaphor at all. How does sulkiness float anything? The way that phrase is used it sounds like a bad thing, but isn't floating what you want your battleship to be doing? It's better than sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Very ill-considered metaphor. To be continued...
Later on page 220 - I'm not a fan of the way Brooks tells us that a character won't do something and then gives us all the reasons why doing this particular thing would be a bad idea. This paragraph for example - "There'd been no question of fighting, of course: one hit from a shockstick could drop a man, and two would do even for Apirana. If he'd pulled a gun then he'd have likely had to shoot all three guards dead, and he'd had enough of shooting security personnel for doing their job. Besides, any stray shots into the crowd could have sparked a riot which would have sealed their death warrant, quite apart from any injuries or fatalities they might inflict. Most importantly, though, he had to speak to Nana Bastard, and he had a greater chance of doing that as an obliging prisoner than he did either dead or having killed three of her guards." By the end of that paragraph I felt like saying "Enough already, you had me convinced that fighting was a bad idea when you mentioned the shocksticks, you didn't have to keep going on and on with excuse after excuse as to why it wasn't possible." If I didn't know better I'd think that paragraph had come from a guilty mind who feels ashamed that they didn't put up a fight, and feels they have to explain themselves to people who see them as a coward.
This isn't the first, or last, time Brooks uses this almost apologetic writing technique. Throughout the story, no matter whose point of view we're reading from, characters defend their choices over and over, even more minor choices that really don't need to be defended. All this defending is unnecessary, there's no court judging the characters on their bravery, or lack thereof. To be continued...
Later on page 251 - '"You alright there?" Rourke asked over her shoulder. Jenna nodded, but the rain-slicked strands of red-blonde hair sticking to her face suggested otherwise.' Why does her hair being stuck to her face indicate she's not alright? If she was alright would the rain not have stuck her hair to her face? Would being alright make her hair impervious to the rain? This sentence makes no sense.
17/9 - So many more marked pages, so many it's a bit disappointing actually.
Page 255 - '...memorised several different possibles routes...'
Page 281 - 'The forewoman approached, a stern-faced lady with a blunt fringe and hair darker than the night sky... Darker than the night sky? Really? That's a bit much for a character who has no name and is never seen again.
Page 316 - 'She gave Jenna a smile which might have been made of spun sugar judging by how fragile it appeared.' That is another silly metaphor. I think Brooks is just trying too hard. The way he describes is way too flowery for the type of book he's writing, plus he's not consistent. The descriptions are mostly normal and then out of the blue he'll toss in a phrase that would sit better in a contemporary literature novel than a sci-fi.
Page 327 - '...trapped in a non-too-large shuttle.... That's just awkward. Why not write 'not' rather than 'non'?
Page 352 - '"On target!" she muttered, unconsciously giving it the same emphasis as Chiquita Martinez, ever-beaming hostess of the popular Serenitan game show of the same title.' Why on Earth do we need (or care!) to know about Chiquita Martinez and her game show? We never meet Chiquita, she's not mentioned again, what's the point of bringing her up to begin with? Why can't Jenna simply mutter "On target" without the random association to a fake game show hostess?
Why is the epilogue an epilogue? It's set seconds after the end of the last chapter, why not simply make it the last chapter? The definition of an epilogue is a comment or conclusion to what has happened. I really don't think that's what this epilogue is doing. Because it's not set any appreciable distance in the future I don't see how it can properly comment on the story or serve as a conclusion to what has happened. I would want to see an epilogue to this story set a few months later, after the crew has reached their destination, the Rassvet System. I would want to read about the things the crew were doing with their newfound wealth and whether they were all staying together and going to continue flying.
According to the accolades on the back of the book Luke Scull says 'Dark Run is a thrill-ride of non-stop action, wise-crackery and adventure' and Stephen Deas says this is A fast and wry SF adventure full of the deviousness and wit of Firefly'. I'm sorry, but in my opinion none of that is true. It could be some of those things with some work on the dialogue and phrasing, and more careful editing, but as it is now it's thrill-free, wisecrack-free, and despite all Brooks' attempts only resembles Firefly in the most basic of ways. Brooks is no Joss Whedon.
Dark Run isn't a bad book, but it is only average (precisely 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for GR) thanks to everything I've already mentioned, plus the lovely little message Brooks left us in the acknowledgements. He says "If you didn't buy it, (the book) but you enjoyed it, maybe consider buying the next one? Cat food and pre-frozen rodents don't grow on trees, you know, and I have mouths to feed." That pissed me off, just a tad. I feel like he's intimating that if I didn't buy it I must have acquired it illegally. Maybe that's not what he was trying to say, but that's how it comes across. Should I put that down as another editing error? Well, after not being able to get this review started I seem to have written a mini-novel of my own. So, I think that's enough from me.
Oh, those pages I had marked for discussion? The first page was 16 - "...to wobble like an shivering epileptic...". First, that metaphor? That's just a silly metaphor, as my mum put it when she heard it. Of course, that's a matter of opinion. What's not a matter of opinion is the erroneous use of 'an' instead of 'a'. The second was page 117 - "...laden with enough sulkiness to float a battleship." I don't get that metaphor at all. How does sulkiness float anything? The way that phrase is used it sounds like a bad thing, but isn't floating what you want your battleship to be doing? It's better than sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Very ill-considered metaphor. To be continued...
Later on page 220 - I'm not a fan of the way Brooks tells us that a character won't do something and then gives us all the reasons why doing this particular thing would be a bad idea. This paragraph for example - "There'd been no question of fighting, of course: one hit from a shockstick could drop a man, and two would do even for Apirana. If he'd pulled a gun then he'd have likely had to shoot all three guards dead, and he'd had enough of shooting security personnel for doing their job. Besides, any stray shots into the crowd could have sparked a riot which would have sealed their death warrant, quite apart from any injuries or fatalities they might inflict. Most importantly, though, he had to speak to Nana Bastard, and he had a greater chance of doing that as an obliging prisoner than he did either dead or having killed three of her guards." By the end of that paragraph I felt like saying "Enough already, you had me convinced that fighting was a bad idea when you mentioned the shocksticks, you didn't have to keep going on and on with excuse after excuse as to why it wasn't possible." If I didn't know better I'd think that paragraph had come from a guilty mind who feels ashamed that they didn't put up a fight, and feels they have to explain themselves to people who see them as a coward.
This isn't the first, or last, time Brooks uses this almost apologetic writing technique. Throughout the story, no matter whose point of view we're reading from, characters defend their choices over and over, even more minor choices that really don't need to be defended. All this defending is unnecessary, there's no court judging the characters on their bravery, or lack thereof. To be continued...
Later on page 251 - '"You alright there?" Rourke asked over her shoulder. Jenna nodded, but the rain-slicked strands of red-blonde hair sticking to her face suggested otherwise.' Why does her hair being stuck to her face indicate she's not alright? If she was alright would the rain not have stuck her hair to her face? Would being alright make her hair impervious to the rain? This sentence makes no sense.
17/9 - So many more marked pages, so many it's a bit disappointing actually.
Page 255 - '...memorised several different possibles routes...'
Page 281 - 'The forewoman approached, a stern-faced lady with a blunt fringe and hair darker than the night sky... Darker than the night sky? Really? That's a bit much for a character who has no name and is never seen again.
Page 316 - 'She gave Jenna a smile which might have been made of spun sugar judging by how fragile it appeared.' That is another silly metaphor. I think Brooks is just trying too hard. The way he describes is way too flowery for the type of book he's writing, plus he's not consistent. The descriptions are mostly normal and then out of the blue he'll toss in a phrase that would sit better in a contemporary literature novel than a sci-fi.
Page 327 - '...trapped in a non-too-large shuttle.... That's just awkward. Why not write 'not' rather than 'non'?
Page 352 - '"On target!" she muttered, unconsciously giving it the same emphasis as Chiquita Martinez, ever-beaming hostess of the popular Serenitan game show of the same title.' Why on Earth do we need (or care!) to know about Chiquita Martinez and her game show? We never meet Chiquita, she's not mentioned again, what's the point of bringing her up to begin with? Why can't Jenna simply mutter "On target" without the random association to a fake game show hostess?
Why is the epilogue an epilogue? It's set seconds after the end of the last chapter, why not simply make it the last chapter? The definition of an epilogue is a comment or conclusion to what has happened. I really don't think that's what this epilogue is doing. Because it's not set any appreciable distance in the future I don't see how it can properly comment on the story or serve as a conclusion to what has happened. I would want to see an epilogue to this story set a few months later, after the crew has reached their destination, the Rassvet System. I would want to read about the things the crew were doing with their newfound wealth and whether they were all staying together and going to continue flying.
According to the accolades on the back of the book Luke Scull says 'Dark Run is a thrill-ride of non-stop action, wise-crackery and adventure' and Stephen Deas says this is A fast and wry SF adventure full of the deviousness and wit of Firefly'. I'm sorry, but in my opinion none of that is true. It could be some of those things with some work on the dialogue and phrasing, and more careful editing, but as it is now it's thrill-free, wisecrack-free, and despite all Brooks' attempts only resembles Firefly in the most basic of ways. Brooks is no Joss Whedon.
Dark Run isn't a bad book, but it is only average (precisely 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for GR) thanks to everything I've already mentioned, plus the lovely little message Brooks left us in the acknowledgements. He says "If you didn't buy it, (the book) but you enjoyed it, maybe consider buying the next one? Cat food and pre-frozen rodents don't grow on trees, you know, and I have mouths to feed." That pissed me off, just a tad. I feel like he's intimating that if I didn't buy it I must have acquired it illegally. Maybe that's not what he was trying to say, but that's how it comes across. Should I put that down as another editing error? Well, after not being able to get this review started I seem to have written a mini-novel of my own. So, I think that's enough from me.
November 16, 2023
Yep, all those Firefly comparisons being drawn are well deserved. Also, some Cowboy Bebop and a smattering of The Expanse.
Looking for a story about a motley crew of misfits and outlaw-types getting up to mischief? This may be your fix.
Do you enjoy stories featuring?
(a) Bounty hunters
(b) Gunslingers
(c) Pirates
(d) Smugglers
(e) Hackers
(f) Mercenaries
(g) Spies
(h) All of the above
(i) All of the above, but in SPACE.
If you have selected (i) above, as I have (ho ho) you should consider checking out Dark Run.
I enjoyed it more than I had a right to even if I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed / unpolished. I will certainly be reading the next book in the series (Dark Sky).
Looking for a story about a motley crew of misfits and outlaw-types getting up to mischief? This may be your fix.
Do you enjoy stories featuring?
(a) Bounty hunters
(b) Gunslingers
(c) Pirates
(d) Smugglers
(e) Hackers
(f) Mercenaries
(g) Spies
(h) All of the above
(i) All of the above, but in SPACE.
If you have selected (i) above, as I have (ho ho) you should consider checking out Dark Run.
I enjoyed it more than I had a right to even if I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed / unpolished. I will certainly be reading the next book in the series (Dark Sky).
June 10, 2018
Ich liebe Firefly!
Ihr auch? Diese Serie ist so genial! Joss Whedon halt …
Und so habe ich noch nicht mal den Klappentext von Dark Run zu Ende gelesen, als ich schon wusste: Das Buch muss ich haben!
Ichabod Drift hat charakterlich ein wenig Ähnlichkeit mit dem jungen Han Solo. (Also nach Solo – A Star Wars Story) Er ist Captain des Raumfrachters Keiko und bewegt sich mit seinen Aufträgen immer am Rande der Legalität.
„Hätte Ichabod Drift das Gewehr gehalten, dann hätte er etwas Bissiges gesagt. Etwas Denkwürdiges. Etwas, das jeder, der davon hört, weitererzählen muss, damit die Geschichte wächst und die Lauschenden über seinen Witz in einer brenzligen Lage staunen könnten.“
Die Crew der Keiko besteht außerdem aus einer Ansammlung weiterer Gestrandeter, von denen jeder seine eigene Geschichte und Spezialisierung mit bringt.
Der aktuelle Auftrag der Keiko führt uns allerdings nicht zu Galaxien, die nie ein Mensch zuvor gesehen hat… sondern ausgerechnet auf die Erde! Doch der Auftrag entwickelt sich – wer hätt’s gedacht – ganz anders als geplant…
Das Setting ist toll – der Humor genial! Da hat Mike Brooks genau meinen Nerv getroffen. (schaut Euch mal das Autorenfoto im Buch an ;-) – das passt perfekt dazu) Was ein wenig schwächelt ist der Plot. Weniger Materialschlacht und mehr Handlung hätte dem Buch nicht schlecht gestanden. Daher vergebe ich „nur“ 4 von 5 Lieblingslesesessel für Dark Run und wünsche mir mehr von Ichabod Drift (ich liebe diesen Namen!) & Co. zu lesen!
„Das heißt, dass wir diesen Scheiß beim nächsten mal richtig planen!“
Ihr auch? Diese Serie ist so genial! Joss Whedon halt …
Und so habe ich noch nicht mal den Klappentext von Dark Run zu Ende gelesen, als ich schon wusste: Das Buch muss ich haben!
Ichabod Drift hat charakterlich ein wenig Ähnlichkeit mit dem jungen Han Solo. (Also nach Solo – A Star Wars Story) Er ist Captain des Raumfrachters Keiko und bewegt sich mit seinen Aufträgen immer am Rande der Legalität.
„Hätte Ichabod Drift das Gewehr gehalten, dann hätte er etwas Bissiges gesagt. Etwas Denkwürdiges. Etwas, das jeder, der davon hört, weitererzählen muss, damit die Geschichte wächst und die Lauschenden über seinen Witz in einer brenzligen Lage staunen könnten.“
Die Crew der Keiko besteht außerdem aus einer Ansammlung weiterer Gestrandeter, von denen jeder seine eigene Geschichte und Spezialisierung mit bringt.
Der aktuelle Auftrag der Keiko führt uns allerdings nicht zu Galaxien, die nie ein Mensch zuvor gesehen hat… sondern ausgerechnet auf die Erde! Doch der Auftrag entwickelt sich – wer hätt’s gedacht – ganz anders als geplant…
Das Setting ist toll – der Humor genial! Da hat Mike Brooks genau meinen Nerv getroffen. (schaut Euch mal das Autorenfoto im Buch an ;-) – das passt perfekt dazu) Was ein wenig schwächelt ist der Plot. Weniger Materialschlacht und mehr Handlung hätte dem Buch nicht schlecht gestanden. Daher vergebe ich „nur“ 4 von 5 Lieblingslesesessel für Dark Run und wünsche mir mehr von Ichabod Drift (ich liebe diesen Namen!) & Co. zu lesen!
„Das heißt, dass wir diesen Scheiß beim nächsten mal richtig planen!“
January 31, 2019
"Buckle up, everyone. Jia’s taking us down ahead of schedule, and incidentally has lost her fucking mind."
"I heard that."
"You were meant to."
Dark Run reads somewhere between Firefly and The Expanse with greater diversity and light sexy time.
The episodic writing is geared a little too much for televisation, catchy chapter headings and all. The writing, and story, could have flowed better.
There’s enough here for optimism about the series. It’s a high three stars for me and I’ll be reading book two next month!
As Jenna said, “...next time, we plan this shit properly!"
October 13, 2021
Brooks gives us a polished, dying to be made into a movie/tv show space opera here obviously influenced by Firefly and The Expanse . In fact, if you enjoyed either of those series, you will most likely really enjoy this as well. Again, similar to Firefly, the main characters are the crew and captain of a space freighter that make money how they can, when they can. The captain, Ichabod Drift, is an ex-pirate/privateer who used his ill gotten gains to buy the ship a decade or so ago. For muscle, he has a giant Maori and a Dutch space corp deserter. Jenna, the most recent crewmate, is a hacker (or as it is called here, a slicer) while the Tamara Rourke serves as second in command. Finally, we also have the Changs, Jia (pilot extraordinaire) and her brother Kuai (engineer).
Brooks writes with a very casual style, drawing you into the story without info dumps; more like talking to an old mate. Humanity found the stars centuries ago (and FTL drives) and various political formations on Earth of course started their own colonies. After a successful mission on a distant moon, Drift is 'approached' with an offer he cannot refuse-- a 'dark run' to Earth to deliver some packing crates. The offerer is well known to Drift from his days as a privateer (in fact, he was his old boss) and Drift has little choice but to take the offer; as you can expect, things do not go as planned.
Like the other two series I mentioned above, this is fast and fun, but nothing very serious; in other words, grade A space pulp! The characters are interesting in their own ways as they all have a secret history; the ship basically serves as a second chance for all of them. We have some serious bad guys as well. I loved the general atmosphere, with many people sporting various mechanical augments, crazy hair styles, some cool types of weapons, etc. If I had to further define this genre, I would call it 'punk space opera', especially as the author plays in a punk band and sports a massive Mohawk himself. It also feels a bit like Mick Farren's work-- fun but nothing very mentally taxing. Looking for a good space adventure? Look no futher. 4 punk stars!!
Brooks writes with a very casual style, drawing you into the story without info dumps; more like talking to an old mate. Humanity found the stars centuries ago (and FTL drives) and various political formations on Earth of course started their own colonies. After a successful mission on a distant moon, Drift is 'approached' with an offer he cannot refuse-- a 'dark run' to Earth to deliver some packing crates. The offerer is well known to Drift from his days as a privateer (in fact, he was his old boss) and Drift has little choice but to take the offer; as you can expect, things do not go as planned.
Like the other two series I mentioned above, this is fast and fun, but nothing very serious; in other words, grade A space pulp! The characters are interesting in their own ways as they all have a secret history; the ship basically serves as a second chance for all of them. We have some serious bad guys as well. I loved the general atmosphere, with many people sporting various mechanical augments, crazy hair styles, some cool types of weapons, etc. If I had to further define this genre, I would call it 'punk space opera', especially as the author plays in a punk band and sports a massive Mohawk himself. It also feels a bit like Mick Farren's work-- fun but nothing very mentally taxing. Looking for a good space adventure? Look no futher. 4 punk stars!!
November 13, 2017
3 stars, but a GOOD 3 stars. Lots of books have been compared to Firefly but this is the Firefliest.
May 7, 2015
*Copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*
Dark Run is a feisty space opera, with a layer of grit overlaying a much larger sense of charm.
It’s set in what feels like a not-intolerably distant future, after the discovery of faster-than-light drive has sent humankind on a diaspora to the stars. As a result, we’re shown a rather large variety of different locations in the universe. There’s half-terraformed worlds, where air is rationed, and everyone lives under a dome, or under several thick feet of rock – a feeling of claustrophobia is evoked, characters and reader always seeming to watch their heads – and their backs.
In a stark contrast to that setting, there’s Earth, now more of a tourist destination and government centre. There’s allusions to ongoing low level conflicts between various political blocs across human-occupied space, but all the politicking still seems to happen on Earth. The impression is one of marble halls and closeted power cliques.
Outside of these, there’s a whole swathe of other locations – frozen asteroids, grimy and glitzy spaceports, and more than a few spacecraft.
What really stands out though is that each location feels different. They’re not just one-note places, but feel like fully realised parts of a larger ecosystem implied within the prose. The locations are matched by the somewhat vague backgrounds presented by the characters within it – we learn scraps about the setting through dialogue, through casual asides, frominternal monologues and reminiscences. It’s never used to beat the reader over the head, but the feeling is one of a living world, one with some of the shine knocked off, one not too unlike our own – and that feeling makes it very easy to invest in the setting, and the characters within it.
The characters are also quite well done. The narrative focus is on the wonderfully named starship captain Ichabod Drake, and his merry crew of misfits. Even as the text opens, it’s clear they’re a modestly amoral bunch of smugglers, runaways, and people with something to hide, taking on whichever job happens to pay well, without much regard for legality. The basic trope has been done before (most notably by Firefly), but the author manages to breathe new life into it with Ichabod Drake. The captain is a smooth talking charmer who would much rather talk his way out of trouble than get into a shootout – amusingly, this exact trait also seems rather likely to get him into trouble. Much like the rest of the crew, he has a past he doesn’t want to talk about, at least as the book begins, but he makes for an engaging and amusing protagonist, one whose sensibly cynical and wry look onto the world made me chuckle, and was very easy to read.
The rest of the crew are perhaps not served quite as well, though some more than others. There’s the peppy ingénue of a hacker, the grim faced stoic gun-arms, the pilot, and the engineer. One of the gun-hands is a towering Maori, and he manages to grab a fair bit of screen time, and actually provides the most in-depth explanation of his own character in a scene which is both perfectly pitched and curiously affecting. The hacker also gets some room, growing a few calluses over her moral centre through the course of the book; that said, the remainder of the crew are perfectly enjoyable on a surface level – there’s some excellent repartee, and the author manages to wrap the entire crew up in a sense of camaraderie – but it would have been nice to get to know them better – that said, this is a book where ones past is jealously guarded – so perhaps we’ll see that deeper exploration of the rest of the cast in following books.
From a plot point of view, the narrative starts with a bang, and, if I’m honest, doesn’t really let up thereafter. There’s a real sense of pressure, of time limits, impressed on the characters by the narrative – and as they race against time, the reader is pulled along with them. As is ever the case, what starts off as a simple delivery job quickly spirals out of control and becomes something else entirely. I do have some complaints – there’s a few coincidences in the last third or so of the book which seemed a touch implausible, and the dénouement doesn’t seem to quite gel with the rest of the text – but it’s a snappy story, and one which left me turning pages in an effort to see what was going to happen next.
Overall then, Dark Run is a solid entry in the space opera field; it has a setting with a feeling of depth, which I’d love to see more of. Characters which, when given room to show themselves off, are fascinating, and are believable and entertaining otherwise; and a story which rockets from drama to drama, leaving the reader breathless. At the end of the day, it’s a lot of fun, and as such, worth reading.
Dark Run is a feisty space opera, with a layer of grit overlaying a much larger sense of charm.
It’s set in what feels like a not-intolerably distant future, after the discovery of faster-than-light drive has sent humankind on a diaspora to the stars. As a result, we’re shown a rather large variety of different locations in the universe. There’s half-terraformed worlds, where air is rationed, and everyone lives under a dome, or under several thick feet of rock – a feeling of claustrophobia is evoked, characters and reader always seeming to watch their heads – and their backs.
In a stark contrast to that setting, there’s Earth, now more of a tourist destination and government centre. There’s allusions to ongoing low level conflicts between various political blocs across human-occupied space, but all the politicking still seems to happen on Earth. The impression is one of marble halls and closeted power cliques.
Outside of these, there’s a whole swathe of other locations – frozen asteroids, grimy and glitzy spaceports, and more than a few spacecraft.
What really stands out though is that each location feels different. They’re not just one-note places, but feel like fully realised parts of a larger ecosystem implied within the prose. The locations are matched by the somewhat vague backgrounds presented by the characters within it – we learn scraps about the setting through dialogue, through casual asides, frominternal monologues and reminiscences. It’s never used to beat the reader over the head, but the feeling is one of a living world, one with some of the shine knocked off, one not too unlike our own – and that feeling makes it very easy to invest in the setting, and the characters within it.
The characters are also quite well done. The narrative focus is on the wonderfully named starship captain Ichabod Drake, and his merry crew of misfits. Even as the text opens, it’s clear they’re a modestly amoral bunch of smugglers, runaways, and people with something to hide, taking on whichever job happens to pay well, without much regard for legality. The basic trope has been done before (most notably by Firefly), but the author manages to breathe new life into it with Ichabod Drake. The captain is a smooth talking charmer who would much rather talk his way out of trouble than get into a shootout – amusingly, this exact trait also seems rather likely to get him into trouble. Much like the rest of the crew, he has a past he doesn’t want to talk about, at least as the book begins, but he makes for an engaging and amusing protagonist, one whose sensibly cynical and wry look onto the world made me chuckle, and was very easy to read.
The rest of the crew are perhaps not served quite as well, though some more than others. There’s the peppy ingénue of a hacker, the grim faced stoic gun-arms, the pilot, and the engineer. One of the gun-hands is a towering Maori, and he manages to grab a fair bit of screen time, and actually provides the most in-depth explanation of his own character in a scene which is both perfectly pitched and curiously affecting. The hacker also gets some room, growing a few calluses over her moral centre through the course of the book; that said, the remainder of the crew are perfectly enjoyable on a surface level – there’s some excellent repartee, and the author manages to wrap the entire crew up in a sense of camaraderie – but it would have been nice to get to know them better – that said, this is a book where ones past is jealously guarded – so perhaps we’ll see that deeper exploration of the rest of the cast in following books.
From a plot point of view, the narrative starts with a bang, and, if I’m honest, doesn’t really let up thereafter. There’s a real sense of pressure, of time limits, impressed on the characters by the narrative – and as they race against time, the reader is pulled along with them. As is ever the case, what starts off as a simple delivery job quickly spirals out of control and becomes something else entirely. I do have some complaints – there’s a few coincidences in the last third or so of the book which seemed a touch implausible, and the dénouement doesn’t seem to quite gel with the rest of the text – but it’s a snappy story, and one which left me turning pages in an effort to see what was going to happen next.
Overall then, Dark Run is a solid entry in the space opera field; it has a setting with a feeling of depth, which I’d love to see more of. Characters which, when given room to show themselves off, are fascinating, and are believable and entertaining otherwise; and a story which rockets from drama to drama, leaving the reader breathless. At the end of the day, it’s a lot of fun, and as such, worth reading.
July 10, 2015
Read on the WondrousBooks blog.
My issue with this book: there was nothing there. Not a thing. I have read quite a few books in my life and this one qualifies in top 10 books that couldn't grab my attention in ANY way. Usually if I don't like a book, at least I can pinpoint what I didn't like about it. The same can't be said about Dark Run. In a couple of months I'm probably going to forget this book exists. I know it's a harsh thing to say, but I really don't see why this book was written.
I couldn't care less about the setting or the plot and especially about the characters. They were so lifeless and interchangeable that I couldn't even keep them straight at certain times. I had a very hard time distinguishing Jenna and Jia. All of these people, mercenaries, whatever they are, they are all tough guys, who have lived hard lives, about which we learn almost nothing. They all have these "amazing" abilities at a certain field, they are all supposed to be "cool". I don't think so.
The entire book is very immature, like a childish attempt in grown-up literature. Even the sexual tension between the characters is laughable and seems like a prepubescent's wet dreams based on crappy porn and naive imagination.
The story was equally as dull as the characters. Nothing actually important was going on. There was a "villain" who we mostly don't see and a mission which was both unimportant and constantly being interrupted by the characters' unimportant personal stories.
Honestly, I don't claim that I'm going to become a great author so my opinion should be taken very seriously, but many people are about as great in writing as I am and yet, publishing books. I think literature is about having something to write, not making it up just for the sake of writing. If you don't have anything to say, don't say anything.
My issue with this book: there was nothing there. Not a thing. I have read quite a few books in my life and this one qualifies in top 10 books that couldn't grab my attention in ANY way. Usually if I don't like a book, at least I can pinpoint what I didn't like about it. The same can't be said about Dark Run. In a couple of months I'm probably going to forget this book exists. I know it's a harsh thing to say, but I really don't see why this book was written.
I couldn't care less about the setting or the plot and especially about the characters. They were so lifeless and interchangeable that I couldn't even keep them straight at certain times. I had a very hard time distinguishing Jenna and Jia. All of these people, mercenaries, whatever they are, they are all tough guys, who have lived hard lives, about which we learn almost nothing. They all have these "amazing" abilities at a certain field, they are all supposed to be "cool". I don't think so.
The entire book is very immature, like a childish attempt in grown-up literature. Even the sexual tension between the characters is laughable and seems like a prepubescent's wet dreams based on crappy porn and naive imagination.
The story was equally as dull as the characters. Nothing actually important was going on. There was a "villain" who we mostly don't see and a mission which was both unimportant and constantly being interrupted by the characters' unimportant personal stories.
Honestly, I don't claim that I'm going to become a great author so my opinion should be taken very seriously, but many people are about as great in writing as I am and yet, publishing books. I think literature is about having something to write, not making it up just for the sake of writing. If you don't have anything to say, don't say anything.
Read
October 18, 2016(Audiobook) I am not going to rate this book as I only listened to 90 minutes of it. I do have some thoughts though...
No one has recommended this book to me. If you rate any well reviewed Science Fiction book of 2016, chances are Goodreads will recommend "Dark Run". I knew nothing about it except that it keeps turning up on this site as something published this year I should read.
The writing was just OK. I kind of shook my head at the line that someone was wobbling like a shivering epileptic. That is the bad combination of trying very hard and not succeeding.
So it is pretty clear from the opening and the description this is a "space action-adventure" or a "Space Western". So from my point of view that means if this were a TV show I would probably like it but it's not going to scratch my SF itch in book form. A smuggler is offered a job, trouble ensues. Personally I am looking for something a little more mind expanding then that. So no harm no foul this just isn't for me.
The audiobook - wow here we go again. I feel like I need to draw up a flowchart for audio production companies
Is the main character of the book an ethnic minority
If NO then hire any actor
If YES Can an actor of that ethnic minority be hired?
If YES Then hire that actor
If NO Ask Why not? (Seriously!) then ditch any cartoonish/stereotypical/laughable attempts at having the minority character voiced in a terrible accent. The narrator's regular voice will be fine thanks.
Author Mike Brooks is English. Narrator Damian Lynch is English. The main character of the book is "Mexican Han Solo". Mexican Han Solo would have been so much fun! Having a Mexican narrator do every other accent as "attempted British" would have been...at least interesting!
Having an English actor do every character in a British accent EXCEPT for the main character was BIZARRE.
The accent lynch chose for "Ichabod Drift" was "confused, vaguely American with English-as second-language who is also scared to talk into the microphone". I guess he gets credit for not doing a "Speedy Gonzalez" Andale! Andale! Areba! but the accent he chose was so off it took me a while to even work out what he was going for (vaguely Puerto Rican).
The guy's name is "Ichabod" for chrissakes he could have been just another British accent which Lynch was fine at. Instead he sounds like a 5th grade reader being asked to read a medical textbook in front of the whole class - nervous AND struggling with the words. How the f*ck did we get this soft spoken voice for an arse kicking Mexican smuggler! How!!! Don't get me started on the "Maori" accent, which was also "confused British person struggling to speak" Gah!!!
No one has recommended this book to me. If you rate any well reviewed Science Fiction book of 2016, chances are Goodreads will recommend "Dark Run". I knew nothing about it except that it keeps turning up on this site as something published this year I should read.
The writing was just OK. I kind of shook my head at the line that someone was wobbling like a shivering epileptic. That is the bad combination of trying very hard and not succeeding.
So it is pretty clear from the opening and the description this is a "space action-adventure" or a "Space Western". So from my point of view that means if this were a TV show I would probably like it but it's not going to scratch my SF itch in book form. A smuggler is offered a job, trouble ensues. Personally I am looking for something a little more mind expanding then that. So no harm no foul this just isn't for me.
The audiobook - wow here we go again. I feel like I need to draw up a flowchart for audio production companies
Is the main character of the book an ethnic minority
If NO then hire any actor
If YES Can an actor of that ethnic minority be hired?
If YES Then hire that actor
If NO Ask Why not? (Seriously!) then ditch any cartoonish/stereotypical/laughable attempts at having the minority character voiced in a terrible accent. The narrator's regular voice will be fine thanks.
Author Mike Brooks is English. Narrator Damian Lynch is English. The main character of the book is "Mexican Han Solo". Mexican Han Solo would have been so much fun! Having a Mexican narrator do every other accent as "attempted British" would have been...at least interesting!
Having an English actor do every character in a British accent EXCEPT for the main character was BIZARRE.
The accent lynch chose for "Ichabod Drift" was "confused, vaguely American with English-as second-language who is also scared to talk into the microphone". I guess he gets credit for not doing a "Speedy Gonzalez" Andale! Andale! Areba! but the accent he chose was so off it took me a while to even work out what he was going for (vaguely Puerto Rican).
The guy's name is "Ichabod" for chrissakes he could have been just another British accent which Lynch was fine at. Instead he sounds like a 5th grade reader being asked to read a medical textbook in front of the whole class - nervous AND struggling with the words. How the f*ck did we get this soft spoken voice for an arse kicking Mexican smuggler! How!!! Don't get me started on the "Maori" accent, which was also "confused British person struggling to speak" Gah!!!
February 10, 2017
Dark Run is a fun, very Firefly-ish sort of story — in that, I mean both the setting (the world situation, the character lineup, the tone) and the actual storyline are quite like Firefly. There are a couple of lines which seem like homages, like the pilot saying “I am a leaf on the wind”… but since that doesn’t lead to disaster in quite the same way as it does in Serenity, it kind of ruins the moment? Like, I read the line and braced myself, and then it was just… a throwaway comment? Hm. It’s things like that which made me wonder how deliberate the references were.
Whatever that situation is, the book is fun enough on its own merits, and it does things Firefly should have done, like introduce more diversity. Asian characters, most obviously, but also a Maori character, which is an interesting choice. I tried not to think too much about how things related to Firefly, and instead enjoy the book for its own merits: the pacing is pretty good, the crew is a mismatched bunch who come together in that endearing sort of way without it being ridiculously easy, there’s interesting background stuff, and there are character backstories which have yet to be unravelled and dug into… In short, there’s a lot of potential.
I’m not sure I succeeded in not thinking of it as an imitation of Firefly, but I did enjoy reading it for what it was as well. Enough that I’ve ordered the second book and am ready to dig into it right away. It’s fun without requiring too much thought, and if you do want a bit of a Firefly feel (though it can be hard for stuff to match up, given the way we’ve all built Firefly up!) then this delivers.
Originally posted here.
Whatever that situation is, the book is fun enough on its own merits, and it does things Firefly should have done, like introduce more diversity. Asian characters, most obviously, but also a Maori character, which is an interesting choice. I tried not to think too much about how things related to Firefly, and instead enjoy the book for its own merits: the pacing is pretty good, the crew is a mismatched bunch who come together in that endearing sort of way without it being ridiculously easy, there’s interesting background stuff, and there are character backstories which have yet to be unravelled and dug into… In short, there’s a lot of potential.
I’m not sure I succeeded in not thinking of it as an imitation of Firefly, but I did enjoy reading it for what it was as well. Enough that I’ve ordered the second book and am ready to dig into it right away. It’s fun without requiring too much thought, and if you do want a bit of a Firefly feel (though it can be hard for stuff to match up, given the way we’ve all built Firefly up!) then this delivers.
Originally posted here.
February 7, 2017
Of all the ways I could choose to die, being blown into hard vacuum by an explosive device was a long way from the top of the list.
Mike Brooks' debut novel, Dark Run, is an unabashedly fun space-Western!
This book moves fast! It is a quick page-turner about a lovable crew of misfits aboard a spaceship. Their relationships; their pasts; their misadventures. Most of the crew is looking for a second chance. They are inherently good people that have gotten into bad situations previously. Working on the Keiko is a new beginning. Somewhere they can get their footing again & make something of a life for themselves. Mercenaries, smugglers, engineers, computer hackers.. this is a ragtag crew, indeed!
It is inevitable that it will draw comparisons to Firefly. What space-Western with a wisecracking crew wouldn't, am I right? It definitely has some Firefly undertones, but it isn't fair to compare it completely to that Whedon epic. I mean, Firefly is pretty much my favorite show EVER. There is no way this comes close. However, it was a wry, well-paced, interesting story. Not the most unique story ever written, but it certainly brings something to the science fiction table.
This was like throwing on an old, comfortable sweater. I found it easy to fall into the storylines & I grew to really like these characters. I cannot wait to read more about them in the sequel, which comes out in North America this Summer!
If you enjoy space adventures, this one was an immensely enjoyable romp!
Mike Brooks' debut novel, Dark Run, is an unabashedly fun space-Western!
This book moves fast! It is a quick page-turner about a lovable crew of misfits aboard a spaceship. Their relationships; their pasts; their misadventures. Most of the crew is looking for a second chance. They are inherently good people that have gotten into bad situations previously. Working on the Keiko is a new beginning. Somewhere they can get their footing again & make something of a life for themselves. Mercenaries, smugglers, engineers, computer hackers.. this is a ragtag crew, indeed!
It is inevitable that it will draw comparisons to Firefly. What space-Western with a wisecracking crew wouldn't, am I right? It definitely has some Firefly undertones, but it isn't fair to compare it completely to that Whedon epic. I mean, Firefly is pretty much my favorite show EVER. There is no way this comes close. However, it was a wry, well-paced, interesting story. Not the most unique story ever written, but it certainly brings something to the science fiction table.
This was like throwing on an old, comfortable sweater. I found it easy to fall into the storylines & I grew to really like these characters. I cannot wait to read more about them in the sequel, which comes out in North America this Summer!
If you enjoy space adventures, this one was an immensely enjoyable romp!
May 26, 2017
very satisfying space opera. Fast moving and clearly written. There was no guessing what was going on. No aliens here just humans who have expanded into space. Written in third person from 3 or so different members of the crew of the Keiko a merchant ship which operates a bit on the shady side. The crew is made of diverse people each with a different skill set and no questions asked. Super fun and looks like the first of a series.
September 7, 2024
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this, and for a book I went into with no expectations at all, that was a pleasant surprise. Okay, I loved the author's God-King Chronicles, so maybe I had some expectations, but this was a very different proposition.
It took me a little over two weeks to read the first fifty percent, but the last fifty percent I burned through in a little over half a day. Once things started to crank up, it was just a fantastic ride. I loved the way the story went, and I loved some of the character interactions, which really made it work for me.
Although I enjoyed a number of the characters, Jenna was the absolute standout for me. She's the sort of "snarky tech girl" who can pop up out of nowhere to get you out of a fix, and I think she was written really well and had some of the moments I enjoyed the most in the book.
I'm definitely excited to see where this series takes us, and this is a book (and hopefully series) that I'll be highly recommending to those who like the vibe of The Expanse and the crew of its Rocinante.
I really enjoyed this, and for a book I went into with no expectations at all, that was a pleasant surprise. Okay, I loved the author's God-King Chronicles, so maybe I had some expectations, but this was a very different proposition.
It took me a little over two weeks to read the first fifty percent, but the last fifty percent I burned through in a little over half a day. Once things started to crank up, it was just a fantastic ride. I loved the way the story went, and I loved some of the character interactions, which really made it work for me.
Although I enjoyed a number of the characters, Jenna was the absolute standout for me. She's the sort of "snarky tech girl" who can pop up out of nowhere to get you out of a fix, and I think she was written really well and had some of the moments I enjoyed the most in the book.
I'm definitely excited to see where this series takes us, and this is a book (and hopefully series) that I'll be highly recommending to those who like the vibe of The Expanse and the crew of its Rocinante.
February 12, 2017
It's fairly rare when I bother to do written reviews of books. I like them or don't like them to varying degrees and don't feel like it's important to tell people why I like them. That and I don't much like having to analyze a book I read for enjoyment because it wrecks it for me sometimes.
This book, I wanted to do at least a little something for. I don't think it's had enough praise personally.
There are a lot of people that compare this to Firefly*. It does have some of the things I valued most about Firefly such as the interplay of characters. You'll find a similar layout. A Captain that's got a past and a mostly stable moral compass...maybe it wobbles a little, sometimes. A strong female first mate or whatever you'd deem her, an amazing pilot, a talented engineer, and a mercenary. There are also characters that aren't exactly dups of the crew. Such as the tech wizard (I know sort of River, but not) and the gentle giant (sort of like Shepherd Book, but not). We have the tropes in other words.
Having said that, let me pause for a moment in this review (if you don't want to read my rant skip one paragraph). Some reviewers I have seen seem to think it's a sin or in some way degrading to note tropes in authors writing. Why? Tropes are an easy way for us puny humans to understand the world around us. They help writers build stable stories. The problem with tropes is when they are over used or too predictable. When EVERY $#%& @$*% *$#@ &%$# time you turn on the TV or open a book you find yourself SO UNGODLY BORED with the entire %$ing universe because you already know how the book or show ends within 5 minutes of watching or 10 pages of reading. Some people prefer this and that's fine, for them. For me, I need to be kept guessing. It's one thing to have a framework so you know, to move into the construction world for a moment, this building is going to be a rectangle and have 3 floors. However, If I open a book and already know, for the sake of the example, that there are going to be 3 bathrooms, 2 hot tubs, 65 windows, 35 doors, 6 different carpets coming in blue, green, turquoise, violet, puce and yellow (swatches with paint samples for each room available to the left). The siding will be an off blue and the shingles will be gray and slightly concave...then I don't really need to take your tour do I?
Anyway, review back on. I loved the interplay Mr. Brooks built into the characters. The silent histories he was able to fold in and expand upon as needed. For to my understanding a virtually new author to build such a beautiful interplay is amazing. I'm sure editing, alpha and beta readers will have had something to do with it, but you can do all the editing and rereading you want, but if the writer doesn't have what's needed in him or her to pull that information in and push it out better, then there really is no point and no help for it.
This is NOT a Firefly dup or knock off as I have seen sometimes, but I'd say it has a neighboring soul. I don't do the best reviews because I don't do them often, as noted at the beginning of this whole huge thing. The best I can say is if you haven't tried this book, you should. If you're good at reviews, do it. It's worth it, in my opinion.
* For those who aren't quite as much of a geek as me, Firefly was an American Space Western Drama series that ran from 2002-2003 on Fox written and directed by Joss Whedon. You may have a better idea of the world if you saw the 2005 film adaptation Serenity.
This book, I wanted to do at least a little something for. I don't think it's had enough praise personally.
There are a lot of people that compare this to Firefly*. It does have some of the things I valued most about Firefly such as the interplay of characters. You'll find a similar layout. A Captain that's got a past and a mostly stable moral compass...maybe it wobbles a little, sometimes. A strong female first mate or whatever you'd deem her, an amazing pilot, a talented engineer, and a mercenary. There are also characters that aren't exactly dups of the crew. Such as the tech wizard (I know sort of River, but not) and the gentle giant (sort of like Shepherd Book, but not). We have the tropes in other words.
Having said that, let me pause for a moment in this review (if you don't want to read my rant skip one paragraph). Some reviewers I have seen seem to think it's a sin or in some way degrading to note tropes in authors writing. Why? Tropes are an easy way for us puny humans to understand the world around us. They help writers build stable stories. The problem with tropes is when they are over used or too predictable. When EVERY $#%& @$*% *$#@ &%$# time you turn on the TV or open a book you find yourself SO UNGODLY BORED with the entire %$ing universe because you already know how the book or show ends within 5 minutes of watching or 10 pages of reading. Some people prefer this and that's fine, for them. For me, I need to be kept guessing. It's one thing to have a framework so you know, to move into the construction world for a moment, this building is going to be a rectangle and have 3 floors. However, If I open a book and already know, for the sake of the example, that there are going to be 3 bathrooms, 2 hot tubs, 65 windows, 35 doors, 6 different carpets coming in blue, green, turquoise, violet, puce and yellow (swatches with paint samples for each room available to the left). The siding will be an off blue and the shingles will be gray and slightly concave...then I don't really need to take your tour do I?
Anyway, review back on. I loved the interplay Mr. Brooks built into the characters. The silent histories he was able to fold in and expand upon as needed. For to my understanding a virtually new author to build such a beautiful interplay is amazing. I'm sure editing, alpha and beta readers will have had something to do with it, but you can do all the editing and rereading you want, but if the writer doesn't have what's needed in him or her to pull that information in and push it out better, then there really is no point and no help for it.
This is NOT a Firefly dup or knock off as I have seen sometimes, but I'd say it has a neighboring soul. I don't do the best reviews because I don't do them often, as noted at the beginning of this whole huge thing. The best I can say is if you haven't tried this book, you should. If you're good at reviews, do it. It's worth it, in my opinion.
* For those who aren't quite as much of a geek as me, Firefly was an American Space Western Drama series that ran from 2002-2003 on Fox written and directed by Joss Whedon. You may have a better idea of the world if you saw the 2005 film adaptation Serenity.
July 15, 2015
[I received a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]
This was a nicely-paced and fun read, in the vein of space cowboys/pirates/smugglers branch of sci-fi. More plot- and ambiance- than character-driven, but what I wanted to read when I requested this book was a romp in space with action, blazing guns, spaceships, fishy cargoes, crazy pilots and mercenaries... and this is exactly what I got.
The crew members of the Keiko find themselves embroiled into a mission for someone they don't know. Only Captain Drift knows, and he didn't accept so willingly, as the one who made the offer was obviously not a friend. While the motto on the ship is "nobody asks about your past", some pasts are harder to forget and hide than others, and when everything turns to quagmire—because it always does, it always must, in such stories—and old secrets start surfacing back, everything gets tenser and tenser. What is more important, in the end: getting mad at the captain... or getting even when it comes to the mysterious employer?
While I wrote that this novel wasn't exactly character-driven, it's not completely true. I'd have to say that the characters are more of archetypal varieties that fit well into such stories. Think à la Firefly. The smooth-talking captain whose skill with words makes him an asset just as much as it causes him trouble. The stone-faced sniper/gunwoman who picked quite a few extra skills in her past. The mercenary going where the money is, but also wondering if it wouldn't be time to retire. The pilot bailed out of jail and now earning her keep by flying the ship through maneuvers so hard nobody else would try them. The ex-gang member trying to keep his temper in check after it destroyed his life. And so on.
On the one hand, it made them somewhat flat, in that they had too much to do to fully reveal a lot about themselves. On the other hand, interspersed within the various plot points were still bits of information about who they were and/or had done. Even Jenna's past, which is barely brushed upon, held a couple of hints. It may or may not be interesting, depending on what one would expect; however, for the kind of story I wanted to read when I picked the book, these characters still worked well. I also quite liked that they all reacted differently to Drift's secret being exposed, yet still considered the biggest picture.
The setting itself was fun as well: again, archetypal, yet in a good way, with shady stations on asteroids, as well as more exotic planets pitched against Old Earth and its European and US "blocks" and air space crammed full of shuttles. Mostly the places the characters had to go to had a "feeling" of their own, with a gritty side for some, and a more noble one for others.
I admit I still would have wanted to know more about the characters, and to get to see a little further than the epilogue, as the gambit the crew took was really dangerous, and could have been exposed at any moment. In that regard, events were maybe just a bit too convenient for them, even though Jenna's skills as a hacker did help a lot in planting information where it was needed to minimise the risks. This may very well warrant a second story of its own, where the crew would have to deal with the aftermath.
But, all in all, this book was a fun read, and this is what I'll remember of it.
3.5 to 4 stars.
This was a nicely-paced and fun read, in the vein of space cowboys/pirates/smugglers branch of sci-fi. More plot- and ambiance- than character-driven, but what I wanted to read when I requested this book was a romp in space with action, blazing guns, spaceships, fishy cargoes, crazy pilots and mercenaries... and this is exactly what I got.
The crew members of the Keiko find themselves embroiled into a mission for someone they don't know. Only Captain Drift knows, and he didn't accept so willingly, as the one who made the offer was obviously not a friend. While the motto on the ship is "nobody asks about your past", some pasts are harder to forget and hide than others, and when everything turns to quagmire—because it always does, it always must, in such stories—and old secrets start surfacing back, everything gets tenser and tenser. What is more important, in the end: getting mad at the captain... or getting even when it comes to the mysterious employer?
While I wrote that this novel wasn't exactly character-driven, it's not completely true. I'd have to say that the characters are more of archetypal varieties that fit well into such stories. Think à la Firefly. The smooth-talking captain whose skill with words makes him an asset just as much as it causes him trouble. The stone-faced sniper/gunwoman who picked quite a few extra skills in her past. The mercenary going where the money is, but also wondering if it wouldn't be time to retire. The pilot bailed out of jail and now earning her keep by flying the ship through maneuvers so hard nobody else would try them. The ex-gang member trying to keep his temper in check after it destroyed his life. And so on.
On the one hand, it made them somewhat flat, in that they had too much to do to fully reveal a lot about themselves. On the other hand, interspersed within the various plot points were still bits of information about who they were and/or had done. Even Jenna's past, which is barely brushed upon, held a couple of hints. It may or may not be interesting, depending on what one would expect; however, for the kind of story I wanted to read when I picked the book, these characters still worked well. I also quite liked that they all reacted differently to Drift's secret being exposed, yet still considered the biggest picture.
The setting itself was fun as well: again, archetypal, yet in a good way, with shady stations on asteroids, as well as more exotic planets pitched against Old Earth and its European and US "blocks" and air space crammed full of shuttles. Mostly the places the characters had to go to had a "feeling" of their own, with a gritty side for some, and a more noble one for others.
I admit I still would have wanted to know more about the characters, and to get to see a little further than the epilogue, as the gambit the crew took was really dangerous, and could have been exposed at any moment. In that regard, events were maybe just a bit too convenient for them, even though Jenna's skills as a hacker did help a lot in planting information where it was needed to minimise the risks. This may very well warrant a second story of its own, where the crew would have to deal with the aftermath.
But, all in all, this book was a fun read, and this is what I'll remember of it.
3.5 to 4 stars.
June 13, 2018
Dark Run is a meaty space opera, charmingly gritty, soaked in a utopian/dystopian diaspora of mankind testing the limits of interstellar travel. There are advanced colonies on distant planets, dingy spaceports and layer-upon-layer of human, grim settlements on terraformed moons, or beneath sprawling cities that sit on the foundations of ones that exist today, like New York and Prague. There’s also a sense of friction between political facets that are vying, it seems, for galactic real estate, which adds a realistic touch.
I have mixed feelings regarding the characters. At times I found them convincingly real, and seldom quite robotic, which brought out the motif of the ragtag bunch. Maybe it was the POV, which switched between usually Jenna, Ichabond and Rourke, giving them more “screen time” than others. I get it. Too many POVs would probably be overwhelming for any reader. So, we have a mild version of a Jack Sparrow who is the captain (Ichabond Drift), a pokerfaced first-mate (Tamara Rourke), a slicer (Jenna), the muscle, of Maori origin (Apirana), an engineer (Kuai), the pilot (Jia) and the weapons specialist (Micah). You have the usual crew of a smuggling freighter, and they all have their characteristics which colour dialogue here and there. Ichabond is the most amusing of the bunch, with his cynical and wry outlook towards everyone and everything, especially anything considered legal. Overall, despite their vague backgrounds due to the no-talking-about-the-past policy, there is a palpable feel of camaraderie.
The plot was satisfying, though not entirely original. It’s your typical “typical, every day job goes south.” Because of some bad choices from the captain’s behalf, there is friction between the crew members, which is amplified by added pressure from various other factors as well as time limits and the ever-present sense of death if they fail to deliver the “package.” As exciting as this seems, I felt the pace wasn’t up to the task. A lot of the times it felt as though it was dragging, maybe because the author spent plenty of time injecting descriptions of things where they weren’t really necessary. I DO love descriptions, especially in the Dark Run because the author’s creative flair was noticeable, but I feel they slowed down the flow at certain times. And some of the descriptions were longwinded, which didn’t help. This is where this book loses its 1 star.
Bottom line: it was an enjoyable read and it has made me want to know more about the crew, which means more will be revealed in the sequel.
I have mixed feelings regarding the characters. At times I found them convincingly real, and seldom quite robotic, which brought out the motif of the ragtag bunch. Maybe it was the POV, which switched between usually Jenna, Ichabond and Rourke, giving them more “screen time” than others. I get it. Too many POVs would probably be overwhelming for any reader. So, we have a mild version of a Jack Sparrow who is the captain (Ichabond Drift), a pokerfaced first-mate (Tamara Rourke), a slicer (Jenna), the muscle, of Maori origin (Apirana), an engineer (Kuai), the pilot (Jia) and the weapons specialist (Micah). You have the usual crew of a smuggling freighter, and they all have their characteristics which colour dialogue here and there. Ichabond is the most amusing of the bunch, with his cynical and wry outlook towards everyone and everything, especially anything considered legal. Overall, despite their vague backgrounds due to the no-talking-about-the-past policy, there is a palpable feel of camaraderie.
The plot was satisfying, though not entirely original. It’s your typical “typical, every day job goes south.” Because of some bad choices from the captain’s behalf, there is friction between the crew members, which is amplified by added pressure from various other factors as well as time limits and the ever-present sense of death if they fail to deliver the “package.” As exciting as this seems, I felt the pace wasn’t up to the task. A lot of the times it felt as though it was dragging, maybe because the author spent plenty of time injecting descriptions of things where they weren’t really necessary. I DO love descriptions, especially in the Dark Run because the author’s creative flair was noticeable, but I feel they slowed down the flow at certain times. And some of the descriptions were longwinded, which didn’t help. This is where this book loses its 1 star.
Bottom line: it was an enjoyable read and it has made me want to know more about the crew, which means more will be revealed in the sequel.
March 23, 2018
See Sarah's review.
This is just a generic space pirates story. Meh.
Characters that might have been drawn from a game deck.
Generic superbad manipulator/Bond villain, with the obligatory super-killer on staff.
Writing maybe slightly below average compared to what I have been reading, although I have seen quite a few VERY good writers lately. Weak metaphors, adequate humour. Action scenes competent, explanations adequate, if a tad long sometimes.
And hey, you can't have a character hiding and thinking about how badly she has to piss, then have her escape and break into a room with an explicitly-mentioned toilet, and not give her a moment to USE it.
This is just a generic space pirates story. Meh.
Characters that might have been drawn from a game deck.
Generic superbad manipulator/Bond villain, with the obligatory super-killer on staff.
Writing maybe slightly below average compared to what I have been reading, although I have seen quite a few VERY good writers lately. Weak metaphors, adequate humour. Action scenes competent, explanations adequate, if a tad long sometimes.
And hey, you can't have a character hiding and thinking about how badly she has to piss, then have her escape and break into a room with an explicitly-mentioned toilet, and not give her a moment to USE it.
March 13, 2017
Eh.
That one word sums this book pretty well. How were the characters? Eh. How was the story? Eh. How was the universe? Eh. No one aspect of the book egregiously bad but the whole thing adds up to be incredibly bland.
The only thing I can even find to highlight is the fact that the whole thing reads like a first draft. If there was an editor they did not do a very good job on this one. There are way too many characters. Alex Cruz does literally nothing in the story. Ditto Nana Bastard. Micah von Dutchman exists only . The pilot's brother, whose name I cannot be bothered to look up, is another character that seems to exist only There are seven crew members on the Keiko (unless I've managed to forget someone entirely) and two of them only contribute to the plot of the book .
Also for some reason the author introduces a character, by name, within 20 pages of the end of the book. Why? We don't even spend the last 20 pages of the book with her. She is introduced and then leaves. I mean, fine. Everyone writes something stupid in a first draft, that's why it's a first draft, but what self-respecting editor let that go to print?
For some reason the author chooses to apologize for the Maori character, affectionately called Big A, at the start of the book. He is pretty two dimensional I guess, but it feels weird to apologize for lazy writing? Big A suffers from that weirdest of tropes, being he is a big fighty man who spends the entire book losing fights. Worf-syndrome.
Tamara Rourke, Ichabod Drift and Jenna McHacker were all interesting enough. I also liked the pilot Jia, but that might be because the tricky bit of piloting scenes were the parts of the book that shined brightest. That and the scene where a major plot point involves the fact that Ichabod Drift is an alias, which feels very silly to type, but is much better than imagining Ma Drift deciding to name her child Ichabod. It feels like a missed opportunity that someone on the Keiko's crew doesn't say "No fucking duh his name isn't Ichabod Drift," when presented with that information though.
Otherwise the book is pretty inoffensive. I can't say I really recommend seeking it out, unless you are a connoisseur of mid-grade sci-fi adventure, but if it ever pops up free on your Kindle or something there are certainly worse ways to kill a few hours.
That one word sums this book pretty well. How were the characters? Eh. How was the story? Eh. How was the universe? Eh. No one aspect of the book egregiously bad but the whole thing adds up to be incredibly bland.
The only thing I can even find to highlight is the fact that the whole thing reads like a first draft. If there was an editor they did not do a very good job on this one. There are way too many characters. Alex Cruz does literally nothing in the story. Ditto Nana Bastard. Micah von Dutchman exists only . The pilot's brother, whose name I cannot be bothered to look up, is another character that seems to exist only There are seven crew members on the Keiko (unless I've managed to forget someone entirely) and two of them only contribute to the plot of the book .
Also for some reason the author introduces a character, by name, within 20 pages of the end of the book. Why? We don't even spend the last 20 pages of the book with her. She is introduced and then leaves. I mean, fine. Everyone writes something stupid in a first draft, that's why it's a first draft, but what self-respecting editor let that go to print?
For some reason the author chooses to apologize for the Maori character, affectionately called Big A, at the start of the book. He is pretty two dimensional I guess, but it feels weird to apologize for lazy writing? Big A suffers from that weirdest of tropes, being he is a big fighty man who spends the entire book losing fights. Worf-syndrome.
Tamara Rourke, Ichabod Drift and Jenna McHacker were all interesting enough. I also liked the pilot Jia, but that might be because the tricky bit of piloting scenes were the parts of the book that shined brightest. That and the scene where a major plot point involves the fact that Ichabod Drift is an alias, which feels very silly to type, but is much better than imagining Ma Drift deciding to name her child Ichabod. It feels like a missed opportunity that someone on the Keiko's crew doesn't say "No fucking duh his name isn't Ichabod Drift," when presented with that information though.
Otherwise the book is pretty inoffensive. I can't say I really recommend seeking it out, unless you are a connoisseur of mid-grade sci-fi adventure, but if it ever pops up free on your Kindle or something there are certainly worse ways to kill a few hours.
February 11, 2021
I got Dark Run at a book sale at the bookstore where I work. The (german) cover looked cool, and I was in the mood for some good old sci-fi/space adventure. And that's exactly what I got. Dark Run sure isn't the most original novel out there, but it's fun.
There was world building, there were a bunch of mismatched characters who go on a mission together, there are conspiracies, lies and a lot of action. There were one or two scenes in particular I wouldn't have needed, I guess it showed that the author is male. But all in all, it was a quick, easy and exciting read. Enough science and spaceship technology that it felt appropriate, but not too much of that so that a normal reader can still understand what's going on.
The book is written in 3rd person past in the main character's POV, who is the captain of the crew. But we get to know something about the other characters too. I would've liked some more backstories, especially Jenna's (because I have a thing for hacker girls), but maybe these stories will be explored in the sequel. I also liked Rourke. There's nothing better than fierce, independent women in space who can wield guns^^
The storyline itself was engaging and fast paced. Fights, explosions and (partly graphic) murder take up a fair amount of time, but everything fit into the dark world the author has created. I liked that the main character is ruthless but still has a conscience. The story itself was rolled up nicely in the end, so no cliffhanger and I guess the next book will be about another adventure.
All in all I wasn't disappointed with Dark Run. It's a solid sci-fi adventure that probably won't leave a big impression on me, but managed to keep me entertained and held what it promised, and for once, that's all I'm asking for.
There was world building, there were a bunch of mismatched characters who go on a mission together, there are conspiracies, lies and a lot of action. There were one or two scenes in particular I wouldn't have needed, I guess it showed that the author is male. But all in all, it was a quick, easy and exciting read. Enough science and spaceship technology that it felt appropriate, but not too much of that so that a normal reader can still understand what's going on.
The book is written in 3rd person past in the main character's POV, who is the captain of the crew. But we get to know something about the other characters too. I would've liked some more backstories, especially Jenna's (because I have a thing for hacker girls), but maybe these stories will be explored in the sequel. I also liked Rourke. There's nothing better than fierce, independent women in space who can wield guns^^
The storyline itself was engaging and fast paced. Fights, explosions and (partly graphic) murder take up a fair amount of time, but everything fit into the dark world the author has created. I liked that the main character is ruthless but still has a conscience. The story itself was rolled up nicely in the end, so no cliffhanger and I guess the next book will be about another adventure.
All in all I wasn't disappointed with Dark Run. It's a solid sci-fi adventure that probably won't leave a big impression on me, but managed to keep me entertained and held what it promised, and for once, that's all I'm asking for.
June 14, 2017
This is another book that will get comparisons to Firefly, two of the quotes on the back of the book even mention it. But unlike The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (LWSAP), a book that gets the Firefly comparison itself, Dark Run succeeds in its plot & excitement but lacks depth anywhere else.
In LWSAP, the ship's crewmembers are genuinely likable, unique and are given meaningful character development. The characters in Dark Run can rarely be described that way. There's the rogue captain, the hotshot pilot, the eager mechanic, the mercenary, the hacker, etc. Sure, they have likable qualities, but its all very cookie-cutter. And none of them get any type of real development.
I thought the plot of LWSAP was just a vehicle to look at the characters, at the expense of a 'big picture' plot. I found the plot in Dark Run to be really engaging. It might also be described as a little cookie-cutter (crew gets double crossed on a sketchy smuggling run, crew decides to get revenge) but it moves quick and pulls you along for the ride. A very cinematic feel.
Dark Run and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet couldn't possibly be more polar opposite but each provides entertainment in their own way.
In LWSAP, the ship's crewmembers are genuinely likable, unique and are given meaningful character development. The characters in Dark Run can rarely be described that way. There's the rogue captain, the hotshot pilot, the eager mechanic, the mercenary, the hacker, etc. Sure, they have likable qualities, but its all very cookie-cutter. And none of them get any type of real development.
I thought the plot of LWSAP was just a vehicle to look at the characters, at the expense of a 'big picture' plot. I found the plot in Dark Run to be really engaging. It might also be described as a little cookie-cutter (crew gets double crossed on a sketchy smuggling run, crew decides to get revenge) but it moves quick and pulls you along for the ride. A very cinematic feel.
Dark Run and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet couldn't possibly be more polar opposite but each provides entertainment in their own way.
May 29, 2017
This was a fun read. A lot like the TV show Firefly.
January 14, 2020
Du TRES BON space op (et drôle!)!!
August 4, 2016
Dark Run is a book that waves its space-Western credentials proudly from the first page. It’s a fast-moving tale of a maverick captain and his assorted crew across space. With characters named Ichabod Drift, Gideon Xanth, Annie Eclectic and Nana Bastard, you pretty much know from the outset what this plot is going to be like.
To be fair, it doesn’t disappoint. With its fast moving action, wise-cracking dialogue and wry humour, this maverick bunch of characters are as much fun as the ones I read in Chris Wooding’s Retribution Falls.
The plot here involves Ichabod taking his spaceship, the Keiko, on a job to a place most unexpected – Old Earth. When Nicolas Kelsier, a name from Drift’s past, blackmails him to take a job on, he can’t really refuse. And so we find the rag-tag group travelling to Amsterdam, Old Earth, in order to deliver four standard small shipping containers without going through customs or any of the usual channels.
In return, ‘thief-cum-smuggler-cum-merchant-cum-bounty-hunter-cum-goodness-knows-what-else’ Drift is paid one hundred thousand USNA (United States of North America) dollars, with the promise of another one hundred thousand on delivery, and an agreement that Drift’s gang of mavericks are not told about his nefarious past, which may or may not have led to the death of his previous crew.
The Keiko is a ship filled with smugglers, mercenaries and explorer-adventurers, so the travels are never dull. Drift’s crew are, as we should expect, a combination of experience and enthusiasm, with quite different backgrounds. Tamara Rourke is a highly skilled and deadly serious sniper who has worked with Drift for over eight years and comes across as Ichabod’s most-able deputy. By contrast, Jenna McIlroy is a recent addition to the crew, a young teenager from an unknown background and recently adopted by the crew for her computer hacking and lock-picking skills (skills generally regarded as that of a ‘slicer’.) Twins Jia and Kuai Chang (pilot and engineer respectively) were sprung from prison by Drift when they were younger and are now working for Ichabod trying to earn enough money to save their parents from the Red Star Confederate on Old Earth. Dutchman Micah van Schaken is a fussy former-soldier/mercenary, who may or may not have deserted the Frontier Defence Unit to kill for money. Apirana Wahawaha (also known as ‘Big A’) is a large Maori, an ex-con and former gang member who was found on the verge of going straight and whose loyalty now usually aligns itself with Drift.
With such a broad skills-set, Captain Drift’s crew take on the Justices, customs, and mechanically enhanced ‘circuitheads’ on a journey to the most heavily-regulated planet in the galaxy. It’s not going to be easy…
There’s a plot that we race through rapidly and things do pick up most speedily after about 150 pages, when – surprise, surprise! – things do not work out the way Drift hoped for. Drift and his crew are set up and become fugitives, determined to gain revenge for their ill-fated job, which takes up most of the second half of the book.
There’s a lot to like about this book. The characters are easily identifiable and generally engaging. Throughout the present dilemma we are dripped backstory details of each of the crew, even though Drift’s unwritten rule is not to ask questions about each other’s past, unless they offer to tell you first. There’s a lot of humour in their banter-ish dialogue and throughout a camaraderie that, although rather fragile at times, ultimately makes you rather wonder what Drift had to worry about in the first place. There’s a few little genre references too – a quote from the film Blade Runner, a line from Monty Python, a scene that reminded me of Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome…
The places Drift and his crew inhabit are also a lot of fun. Old Earth is just what we might expect in the future, but with added spaceships – I did like the fact that the Keiko needs to stop for refuelling his spaceship at Birmingham, England, at one point – but there are also places that are rather more exotic. Strange interstellar markets off the usual trade routes, underground caverns, dark bars of ill repute – Mike has spent time thinking through the various worlds of Drift’s universe and it all works together rather well, in my opinion.
On the slightly negative side, but perhaps to be expected, with such a rapidly paced plot, there’s a few improbabilities glossed over – some of the characterisation is a little too convenient, some elements happen a little too easily, although generally there’s enough ‘win’ to forgive these minor issues. I did have a slight issue with the people of the Europan Commonwealth being referred to as ‘Europans’, because that kept me thinking of one of Jupiter’s moons instead. (Thanks, Sir Arthur!)
In summary, if you’re looking for a Firefly-like tale, filled with characters like Damian Frey and the crew of the Ketty Jay, you won’t be disappointed with this one. A quick read, but an immensely entertaining one.
Dark Run is a promising debut, and a novel I’d like to read more of.
To be fair, it doesn’t disappoint. With its fast moving action, wise-cracking dialogue and wry humour, this maverick bunch of characters are as much fun as the ones I read in Chris Wooding’s Retribution Falls.
The plot here involves Ichabod taking his spaceship, the Keiko, on a job to a place most unexpected – Old Earth. When Nicolas Kelsier, a name from Drift’s past, blackmails him to take a job on, he can’t really refuse. And so we find the rag-tag group travelling to Amsterdam, Old Earth, in order to deliver four standard small shipping containers without going through customs or any of the usual channels.
In return, ‘thief-cum-smuggler-cum-merchant-cum-bounty-hunter-cum-goodness-knows-what-else’ Drift is paid one hundred thousand USNA (United States of North America) dollars, with the promise of another one hundred thousand on delivery, and an agreement that Drift’s gang of mavericks are not told about his nefarious past, which may or may not have led to the death of his previous crew.
The Keiko is a ship filled with smugglers, mercenaries and explorer-adventurers, so the travels are never dull. Drift’s crew are, as we should expect, a combination of experience and enthusiasm, with quite different backgrounds. Tamara Rourke is a highly skilled and deadly serious sniper who has worked with Drift for over eight years and comes across as Ichabod’s most-able deputy. By contrast, Jenna McIlroy is a recent addition to the crew, a young teenager from an unknown background and recently adopted by the crew for her computer hacking and lock-picking skills (skills generally regarded as that of a ‘slicer’.) Twins Jia and Kuai Chang (pilot and engineer respectively) were sprung from prison by Drift when they were younger and are now working for Ichabod trying to earn enough money to save their parents from the Red Star Confederate on Old Earth. Dutchman Micah van Schaken is a fussy former-soldier/mercenary, who may or may not have deserted the Frontier Defence Unit to kill for money. Apirana Wahawaha (also known as ‘Big A’) is a large Maori, an ex-con and former gang member who was found on the verge of going straight and whose loyalty now usually aligns itself with Drift.
With such a broad skills-set, Captain Drift’s crew take on the Justices, customs, and mechanically enhanced ‘circuitheads’ on a journey to the most heavily-regulated planet in the galaxy. It’s not going to be easy…
There’s a plot that we race through rapidly and things do pick up most speedily after about 150 pages, when – surprise, surprise! – things do not work out the way Drift hoped for. Drift and his crew are set up and become fugitives, determined to gain revenge for their ill-fated job, which takes up most of the second half of the book.
There’s a lot to like about this book. The characters are easily identifiable and generally engaging. Throughout the present dilemma we are dripped backstory details of each of the crew, even though Drift’s unwritten rule is not to ask questions about each other’s past, unless they offer to tell you first. There’s a lot of humour in their banter-ish dialogue and throughout a camaraderie that, although rather fragile at times, ultimately makes you rather wonder what Drift had to worry about in the first place. There’s a few little genre references too – a quote from the film Blade Runner, a line from Monty Python, a scene that reminded me of Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome…
The places Drift and his crew inhabit are also a lot of fun. Old Earth is just what we might expect in the future, but with added spaceships – I did like the fact that the Keiko needs to stop for refuelling his spaceship at Birmingham, England, at one point – but there are also places that are rather more exotic. Strange interstellar markets off the usual trade routes, underground caverns, dark bars of ill repute – Mike has spent time thinking through the various worlds of Drift’s universe and it all works together rather well, in my opinion.
On the slightly negative side, but perhaps to be expected, with such a rapidly paced plot, there’s a few improbabilities glossed over – some of the characterisation is a little too convenient, some elements happen a little too easily, although generally there’s enough ‘win’ to forgive these minor issues. I did have a slight issue with the people of the Europan Commonwealth being referred to as ‘Europans’, because that kept me thinking of one of Jupiter’s moons instead. (Thanks, Sir Arthur!)
In summary, if you’re looking for a Firefly-like tale, filled with characters like Damian Frey and the crew of the Ketty Jay, you won’t be disappointed with this one. A quick read, but an immensely entertaining one.
Dark Run is a promising debut, and a novel I’d like to read more of.
July 12, 2017
A really good read, especially coming from a relatively new author, does entirely deserve to sit along with the classics.
I liked how plausible the future of the major political systems of our time was described in the book, and the way a matter-of-fact cynicism and casual optimism blend in. It's totally the way I would see the Russian-influenced countries and the EU or USA behaving in a couple of centuries, presuming we would also begin to colonize other planets.
Besides that, the book is almost insanely funny (especially in how plausible and probable the events are), and you read it not just with excitement and attention to the details (which are definitely more than fillers and fluff), but also with chuckles and giggles at almost every chapter. Definitely fresh, and definitely worth reading. This made me give it 4 stars instead of 3.
Why not 5 stars? The only thing holding me back from considering it a truly unforgettable book and among my faves is the fact that the characters seem a little flat and two-dimensional. Once the parameters for them are set, they won't surprise you or reveal any out-of-script complexities. This tends to be both good and bad, in a bittersweet way, since the vibe these characters give is exactly the feel of comic strip characters. This is probably a good thing, or a style the author was intentionally aiming for, but I personally tend to prefer more well-developed characters.
All in all, I definitely don't regret the read and I'll enthusiastically keep an eye out for what Mark Brooks will release next.
I liked how plausible the future of the major political systems of our time was described in the book, and the way a matter-of-fact cynicism and casual optimism blend in. It's totally the way I would see the Russian-influenced countries and the EU or USA behaving in a couple of centuries, presuming we would also begin to colonize other planets.
Besides that, the book is almost insanely funny (especially in how plausible and probable the events are), and you read it not just with excitement and attention to the details (which are definitely more than fillers and fluff), but also with chuckles and giggles at almost every chapter. Definitely fresh, and definitely worth reading. This made me give it 4 stars instead of 3.
Why not 5 stars? The only thing holding me back from considering it a truly unforgettable book and among my faves is the fact that the characters seem a little flat and two-dimensional. Once the parameters for them are set, they won't surprise you or reveal any out-of-script complexities. This tends to be both good and bad, in a bittersweet way, since the vibe these characters give is exactly the feel of comic strip characters. This is probably a good thing, or a style the author was intentionally aiming for, but I personally tend to prefer more well-developed characters.
All in all, I definitely don't regret the read and I'll enthusiastically keep an eye out for what Mark Brooks will release next.
May 11, 2018
The Keiko is a ship of smugglers, soldiers of fortune, and adventurers travelling Earth’s colony planets searching for the next job. And they never talk about their past—until now.
Captain Ichabod Drift is being blackmailed. He has to deliver a special cargo to Earth, and no one can know they’re there. It’s what they call a dark run…And it may be their last.
3.5 stars.
Dark Run is a fun space opera. It definitely reminded me of Firefly and also a little bit of Retribution Falls, even though that book falls under the steampunk category, it has the same feel with its motley crew of characters who all have secrets. This feels lighter though, and it was a really fast paced, easy read. I do wish there had been a bit more depth to the plot. The motivation behind the blackmail job was a little lame, and I could have done with more danger in a couple of situations the crew found themselves in -it all seemed a little too easy. I honestly feel like this is one of those books where you just have to go with it and enjoy it for what it is.
The story is wrapped up completely in this book, so you could read it as a stand-alone. I liked this enough that I will probably continue on to the next book in the series.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
Captain Ichabod Drift is being blackmailed. He has to deliver a special cargo to Earth, and no one can know they’re there. It’s what they call a dark run…And it may be their last.
3.5 stars.
Dark Run is a fun space opera. It definitely reminded me of Firefly and also a little bit of Retribution Falls, even though that book falls under the steampunk category, it has the same feel with its motley crew of characters who all have secrets. This feels lighter though, and it was a really fast paced, easy read. I do wish there had been a bit more depth to the plot. The motivation behind the blackmail job was a little lame, and I could have done with more danger in a couple of situations the crew found themselves in -it all seemed a little too easy. I honestly feel like this is one of those books where you just have to go with it and enjoy it for what it is.
The story is wrapped up completely in this book, so you could read it as a stand-alone. I liked this enough that I will probably continue on to the next book in the series.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
June 13, 2015
Ichabod Drift - a remarkable name for a main character.
He is the captain of space ship with a faster than lightpower unit.
Ichabod gathered an interesting crew. Each member has secrets and it is a strict rule on board that none is forced to talk about his\her past.
My favorite character is Jenna who is a really talented hacker.
The story starts with a bang and delivers action, character insight and unexpected turns.
The first job ends quite soon and there is a short period where from my point of view lingers a bit and some of the events ended with a bit too simply solutions.
Dark Run is a good enbtry in the world of space opera. The interaction between the characters is well done and I would like to read more about Ichabod Drift and his crew.
This is a 4.5 star novel.
He is the captain of space ship with a faster than lightpower unit.
Ichabod gathered an interesting crew. Each member has secrets and it is a strict rule on board that none is forced to talk about his\her past.
My favorite character is Jenna who is a really talented hacker.
The story starts with a bang and delivers action, character insight and unexpected turns.
The first job ends quite soon and there is a short period where from my point of view lingers a bit and some of the events ended with a bit too simply solutions.
Dark Run is a good enbtry in the world of space opera. The interaction between the characters is well done and I would like to read more about Ichabod Drift and his crew.
This is a 4.5 star novel.
June 7, 2016
I am a bit torn with this book, It has everything I like, action, backstory, world building, good characters, interesting concept and decent dialogue, the problem is..it's nothing new. While I enjoyed the read, it was a overwhelming sense of the deja vu, bits and pieces felt like things I had seen here and there. Now your opinion may vary, because my tastes run wide...I tend to see alot of stuff.
That being said, it is a well written entry into what will probably be a fun series, 3 stars if you are hunting something totally fresh and new, 3 and 1/2 if you just need a good beach read.
That being said, it is a well written entry into what will probably be a fun series, 3 stars if you are hunting something totally fresh and new, 3 and 1/2 if you just need a good beach read.
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