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Mass Effect: Andromeda Novels #3
Annihilation
An official tie-in to the hit video game Mass Andromeda, written by award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente
The Quarian ark Keelah Si’yah sails toward the Andromeda galaxy, carrying 20,000 colonists from sundry races including the drell, the elcor, and the batarians. Thirty years from their destination, a routine check reveals drell lying dead in their pods, and a deadly pathogen on board. Soon, the disease is jumping species, and it quickly becomes clear that this is no accident. It’s murder, and the perpetrator is still on board.
The ship’s systems rapidly degrade, and panic spreads among the colonists, for the virus yields a terrible swelling of the brain that causes madness, hallucinations, and dreadful violence. If the ship’s crew can’t restore their technology and find a cure, the Keelah Si’yah will never make it to the Nexus.
The Quarian ark Keelah Si’yah sails toward the Andromeda galaxy, carrying 20,000 colonists from sundry races including the drell, the elcor, and the batarians. Thirty years from their destination, a routine check reveals drell lying dead in their pods, and a deadly pathogen on board. Soon, the disease is jumping species, and it quickly becomes clear that this is no accident. It’s murder, and the perpetrator is still on board.
The ship’s systems rapidly degrade, and panic spreads among the colonists, for the virus yields a terrible swelling of the brain that causes madness, hallucinations, and dreadful violence. If the ship’s crew can’t restore their technology and find a cure, the Keelah Si’yah will never make it to the Nexus.
303 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2018
144 people are currently reading
1758 people want to read
About the author
Catherynne M. Valente
255 books7,773 followersCatherynne M. Valente was born on Cinco de Mayo, 1979 in Seattle, WA, but grew up in in the wheatgrass paradise of Northern California. She graduated from high school at age 15, going on to UC San Diego and Edinburgh University, receiving her B.A. in Classics with an emphasis in Ancient Greek Linguistics. She then drifted away from her M.A. program and into a long residence in the concrete and camphor wilds of Japan.
She currently lives in Maine with her partner, two dogs, and three cats, having drifted back to America and the mythic frontier of the Midwest.
She currently lives in Maine with her partner, two dogs, and three cats, having drifted back to America and the mythic frontier of the Midwest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
November 10, 2018
I'm a big fan of the Mass Effect and Dragon Age games so I read all the related books as soon as they come out. My four star rating is based on loving the games, having played them over and over, knowing the lore, and wanting more content in the games, and if not there, in books. I don't see how the books could be really enjoyed without the background of the games they are linked to but in the case of this prequel, for a series of games that I love to play, I was very happy to be able to indulge in more ME.
The first part of the book introduced us to the characters on a ship to Andromeda that had a big problem. We'd meet a character and then they would go into a long memory of the past that gave us an idea of what the character was like, and this could be pretty tedious at times. At the same time, we did need to care about the characters and I began to do that with several of them. The second, shorter part of the book, then provided the satisfactory "fixing the problem", as best as it could be fixed, with the limited resources and time that the ship leaders had to do so.
I do wish we'd get to see these characters in the next ME game but I'm not sure another ME will ever come out and even if it does, they may go a completely different direction. For all I know, this may be the last new ME content. I know we hear rumors of this or that, but I'll believe there will be another game when it actually comes out.
The first part of the book introduced us to the characters on a ship to Andromeda that had a big problem. We'd meet a character and then they would go into a long memory of the past that gave us an idea of what the character was like, and this could be pretty tedious at times. At the same time, we did need to care about the characters and I began to do that with several of them. The second, shorter part of the book, then provided the satisfactory "fixing the problem", as best as it could be fixed, with the limited resources and time that the ship leaders had to do so.
I do wish we'd get to see these characters in the next ME game but I'm not sure another ME will ever come out and even if it does, they may go a completely different direction. For all I know, this may be the last new ME content. I know we hear rumors of this or that, but I'll believe there will be another game when it actually comes out.
February 20, 2019
Urgh! This was just... mediocre at best.
And this is coming from a Mass Effect fan.
What started as a grand story of a journey to another galaxy turned into a close-quarters murder mystery. Think back to that psychological movie you saw a long time ago, which is filmed in a single room with a cast of 3 people. Except here we have a single spaceship and 6-7 characters.
The Cube comes to mind first. A great idea, bad execution. Still, the movie is a masterpiece of cinematography compared to Annihilation.
I hate it when books introduce the Game of Thrones effect into the very beginning. Yes, it's awesome that you described a character in such detail. We learn a lot about them very quickly. Their intentions, reasoning behind them, their hopes and dreams. Even members of their family and what they'd do when they hear about their success. But why kill them then?! You wasted so much of my time and attention! Why use a goddamn guillotine on the character I started caring about and cut them out of the story like they were never there?
Oh, spoiler alert! Don't read above if you plan to read this book.
I really hope you don't. I loved all the games and books so far, but this... this is a disaster. And Catherynne is apparently a big fan of Mass Effect. I don't even...
So, carrying on through the book with my Game of Thrones glasses on, I didn't care about any of the characters mentioned. I simply assumed they are all just going to be cut out in the same fashion and the entire book will be a bunch of short stories told by disposable characters.
Surprise! Nobody ever dies again!
Well, that may not be the truth because certain people do die but at that point, I was beyond caring. I couldn't tell you the race of the alien, let alone recall their names.
Oh, and a spoiler alert again! Don't read above if you plan to read the book!
Turns out, it was pretty important to keep track of new characters. Especially as the author felt important to use as many possible ways to refer to a character as humanly possible. It's like the intent behind this is frequent "Are you paying attention?" check. It was super-annoying.
You haven't read the book, so let me present you with a simple dialogue between Jane and Joe.
- "Are you OK?" Jane asked.
- "Yes, why do you ask?" Elcor replied.
- "You seem distressed," the captain stated.
Joe huffed. "It's nothing."
Mrs. Doe wasn't convinced. "Are you sure?"
- "I will be," the First Mate resigned.
- "Talk to me," Hanar insisted.
- "Nothing to talk about," Mr. Doe said.
So, this is the mock conversation between the ship's Captain Jane Doe of Hanar race and the First Mate John Doe who is Elcor. Yes, it's not as horrible as I just depicted it, but it sure felt like it!
Can you imagine what happens when it's an emergency and we have the all-hands-on-deck argument? Volus, drell, hanar, elcor, quarian... Captain, doctor, smuggler, whatever... and a bunch of their unmemorable and unpronounceable alien names...
"Don't do this!" the blue-eyed assassin yelled...
Seriously?!
It was probably requested from listeners to build character maps to keep track of everything but I missed those instructions. "And now we're going to match all the character names to their nicknames, races, occupations, hobbies, physical attributes, and personal wants and needs. Whenever you need to figure out who the 'wounded one' in the conversation is, just refer to your character maps. Simple! But do it quickly, because while you're searching the book goes on! And we'll throw more crap at you in every other sentence just to keep you on your toes. At the end of the book, whoever has the most complete character map will win the certificate of stupidity."
Absolutely horrifying!
I just gave up at one point. Fell asleep in an airplane and woke up when we hit the tarmac. I did a rough 60-minute rewind and continued from there. Funny thing? I didn't care. At all. I just wanted to book to be over with. There was an internal mental reprimand in the picture as well, for I just forced myself to listen to another hour more of this torture. Enjoyment was hard to find.
Regarding the narration, Taylorson tried his best, but it wasn't enough. A for effort, so it was decent in the end. Still, far from the bar that narrators of first two books set.
What's with the plan to change the writers and narrators with each one is beyond me. Perfect enablement for a random disaster, just like this one. But if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This one is on producers.
There was a sad attempt to the background sound, especially noticeable with the volus suit and its "trademark wheeze." I found it to be extremely annoying as once you hear it, it becomes everpresent and distracting. It's like everything went wrong at once here.
The volus medic, a very likable character, also insisted on Shakespeare speech and quotes. While I would generally not care about that, this time it was just a source of additional confusion.
I don't know what kind of executive decision or intervention was pulled here to make this production such a shitstorm and I don't care. This is an abomination in the Mass Effect universe.
The worst thing? I preordered it. I danced a happy dance of joy when I saw the book in production. Such a big disappointment...
I tried to get my enjoyment from this book so desperately but it was very difficult.
No images this time either. I don't like this book.
Mass Effect: Annihilation (Mass Effect: Andromeda #3)
Catherynne M. Valente (Author), Tom Taylorson (Narrator)
And this is coming from a Mass Effect fan.
What started as a grand story of a journey to another galaxy turned into a close-quarters murder mystery. Think back to that psychological movie you saw a long time ago, which is filmed in a single room with a cast of 3 people. Except here we have a single spaceship and 6-7 characters.
The Cube comes to mind first. A great idea, bad execution. Still, the movie is a masterpiece of cinematography compared to Annihilation.
I hate it when books introduce the Game of Thrones effect into the very beginning. Yes, it's awesome that you described a character in such detail. We learn a lot about them very quickly. Their intentions, reasoning behind them, their hopes and dreams. Even members of their family and what they'd do when they hear about their success. But why kill them then?! You wasted so much of my time and attention! Why use a goddamn guillotine on the character I started caring about and cut them out of the story like they were never there?
Oh, spoiler alert! Don't read above if you plan to read this book.
I really hope you don't. I loved all the games and books so far, but this... this is a disaster. And Catherynne is apparently a big fan of Mass Effect. I don't even...
So, carrying on through the book with my Game of Thrones glasses on, I didn't care about any of the characters mentioned. I simply assumed they are all just going to be cut out in the same fashion and the entire book will be a bunch of short stories told by disposable characters.
Surprise! Nobody ever dies again!
Well, that may not be the truth because certain people do die but at that point, I was beyond caring. I couldn't tell you the race of the alien, let alone recall their names.
Oh, and a spoiler alert again! Don't read above if you plan to read the book!
Turns out, it was pretty important to keep track of new characters. Especially as the author felt important to use as many possible ways to refer to a character as humanly possible. It's like the intent behind this is frequent "Are you paying attention?" check. It was super-annoying.
You haven't read the book, so let me present you with a simple dialogue between Jane and Joe.
- "Are you OK?" Jane asked.
- "Yes, why do you ask?" Elcor replied.
- "You seem distressed," the captain stated.
Joe huffed. "It's nothing."
Mrs. Doe wasn't convinced. "Are you sure?"
- "I will be," the First Mate resigned.
- "Talk to me," Hanar insisted.
- "Nothing to talk about," Mr. Doe said.
So, this is the mock conversation between the ship's Captain Jane Doe of Hanar race and the First Mate John Doe who is Elcor. Yes, it's not as horrible as I just depicted it, but it sure felt like it!
Can you imagine what happens when it's an emergency and we have the all-hands-on-deck argument? Volus, drell, hanar, elcor, quarian... Captain, doctor, smuggler, whatever... and a bunch of their unmemorable and unpronounceable alien names...
"Don't do this!" the blue-eyed assassin yelled...
Seriously?!
It was probably requested from listeners to build character maps to keep track of everything but I missed those instructions. "And now we're going to match all the character names to their nicknames, races, occupations, hobbies, physical attributes, and personal wants and needs. Whenever you need to figure out who the 'wounded one' in the conversation is, just refer to your character maps. Simple! But do it quickly, because while you're searching the book goes on! And we'll throw more crap at you in every other sentence just to keep you on your toes. At the end of the book, whoever has the most complete character map will win the certificate of stupidity."
Absolutely horrifying!
I just gave up at one point. Fell asleep in an airplane and woke up when we hit the tarmac. I did a rough 60-minute rewind and continued from there. Funny thing? I didn't care. At all. I just wanted to book to be over with. There was an internal mental reprimand in the picture as well, for I just forced myself to listen to another hour more of this torture. Enjoyment was hard to find.
Regarding the narration, Taylorson tried his best, but it wasn't enough. A for effort, so it was decent in the end. Still, far from the bar that narrators of first two books set.
What's with the plan to change the writers and narrators with each one is beyond me. Perfect enablement for a random disaster, just like this one. But if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This one is on producers.
There was a sad attempt to the background sound, especially noticeable with the volus suit and its "trademark wheeze." I found it to be extremely annoying as once you hear it, it becomes everpresent and distracting. It's like everything went wrong at once here.
The volus medic, a very likable character, also insisted on Shakespeare speech and quotes. While I would generally not care about that, this time it was just a source of additional confusion.
I don't know what kind of executive decision or intervention was pulled here to make this production such a shitstorm and I don't care. This is an abomination in the Mass Effect universe.
The worst thing? I preordered it. I danced a happy dance of joy when I saw the book in production. Such a big disappointment...
I tried to get my enjoyment from this book so desperately but it was very difficult.
No images this time either. I don't like this book.
Mass Effect: Annihilation (Mass Effect: Andromeda #3)
Catherynne M. Valente (Author), Tom Taylorson (Narrator)
Verdict Don't. Just... don't.
Runtime 08:51
Overall
Performance
Story
June 25, 2019
I was worried about this novel. I really was. Despite the fact that I love the Mass Effect games and despite the fact that I love Cat Valente's writing, I still felt anxious, wondering if this could never as good as another novel that is wholly original.
You know, the same complaint some of us always have against franchise SF. Name any of them. Star Wars, Star Trek. Some really are good, of course, but expectations rarely live up to execution.
So why do I love this one, then? Is it because of the author or the series or both together?
Actually... neither. Oddly enough. Oh, I love Valente's quirky characters and dialogue. The Elkor doctor constantly quoting Shakespeare? Hell yeah! The Volus interactions were great, too. So snappily thuggish for little tree hugging bears. :) And I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Quarians so that always gets a pass for me.
As a regular SF, this is a locked-room mystery/medical drama on a generation spaceship (genre, not actual, although being en-route for 600 years makes it feel that way). What really got me going, however, was the intense focus on THE REST OF THE RACES in the ME universe. They have a big point, you know. Why do the Humans or the Solarians or the Asari, et al, get the whole manifest destiny thing going on while all the other aliens get left in the dust? Why throw the leftovers into their own Ark?
The whole ME series addresses this question poorly. And, indeed, so do the rest of us. What about all the leftovers? Aren't they worthy of their own stories?
The answer is definitely yes. :) And it doesn't hurt that the worldbuilding is divine, the aliens delightful, and the story solid. Thriller all the way, baby. :)
You know, the same complaint some of us always have against franchise SF. Name any of them. Star Wars, Star Trek. Some really are good, of course, but expectations rarely live up to execution.
So why do I love this one, then? Is it because of the author or the series or both together?
Actually... neither. Oddly enough. Oh, I love Valente's quirky characters and dialogue. The Elkor doctor constantly quoting Shakespeare? Hell yeah! The Volus interactions were great, too. So snappily thuggish for little tree hugging bears. :) And I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Quarians so that always gets a pass for me.
As a regular SF, this is a locked-room mystery/medical drama on a generation spaceship (genre, not actual, although being en-route for 600 years makes it feel that way). What really got me going, however, was the intense focus on THE REST OF THE RACES in the ME universe. They have a big point, you know. Why do the Humans or the Solarians or the Asari, et al, get the whole manifest destiny thing going on while all the other aliens get left in the dust? Why throw the leftovers into their own Ark?
The whole ME series addresses this question poorly. And, indeed, so do the rest of us. What about all the leftovers? Aren't they worthy of their own stories?
The answer is definitely yes. :) And it doesn't hurt that the worldbuilding is divine, the aliens delightful, and the story solid. Thriller all the way, baby. :)
June 25, 2019
I haven't (yet) played Mass Effect though I have wanted to for a long time. I have not (yet) read any of the comics or other novels in this franchise. My plan was to read them all in order. And maybe I still will. However, I couldn't resist this one because it is written by one of my favourite authors: Catherynne Valente.
Disclaimer for all those unsure: you don't need to have read any of the other books or comics and you don't need to have played any of the games to understand this story.
So what's happening? We are on a generational ship. Actually, not a generational ship exactly because the ones that boarded will also be the ones arriving at Andromeda (the destination system) thanks to cryosleep pods. Every once in a while, a team is awoken by the ship's AI to make course corrections etc.
But when the latest team wakes up, they are sick and something is wrong. Individual pods have either broken down or been contaminated with ... something ... resulting in an increasing number of deaths.
The ship only coincidentally noticed that something was off, the sensors don't see that anything's wrong. Even after more parts of the ship start malfunctioning. So the team has to figure out what is happening, how and find a way to stop it.
The problem? This is one of the ships that hosts several species and not just one. And due to the history of a number of them, tensions are very high, even among the team awoken to save them all.
As is customary for Valente, this story is driven by deep history and multi-layered characters. It was awesome to walk through the different parts of this amazing piece of technology and trying to figure out the mystery in time. Simultaneously, it was delicious to follow the characters' interactions and the complications due to the species' histories (such as the arms dealer's poignant observation that they wouldn't sell weapons and slaves if others bought rainbows and clowds instead). Equally, I very much enjoyed watching, through the characters' memories, everyone's reason to be on the ship and for hating one another (like not having a homeworld anymore).
The mystery itself was cool, too. I have a weakness for stories that take place on generational ships and if there is an added bonus of mysterious deaths and failures of the technology, I'm a happy camper. This mystery was quite clever (not always easy since almost everything has been done before already) and I loved piecing it all together. The humorous moments were the icing on the cake (I'd love to know what good old Shakespeare would say if he knew he even made it to space eventually).
The writing style is engaging and fast-paced, the world rich. Naturally, I'm not entirely sure how much is from the general franchise and how much from this author herself, but it is telling that I didn't really need the link provided by my buddy-reader, Brad, that displays all the different races because I already had a very clear image (and apparently an accurate one) in my head thanks to the author's descriptions.
Really cool book that I recommend to any scifi fan out there.
November 8, 2018
I ask you: what's not to love about a wise-cracking, Shakespeare-quoting Elcor ear nose and throat doctor?
January 16, 2019
The first half was a bit slow, mostly because I couldn’t remember what the different races looked like. But I did enjoy the plot and the characters were all unique and fun to read about. Also fuck yeah for gay aliens!
December 15, 2018
3.5 of 5 stars at the BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/12/15/...
Although we’re here to talk about a book, no discussion about Mass Effect: Andromeda: Annihilation would be possible without at least acknowledging the fan response to the game it was based on, which many found unremarkable, if not disappointing. Speaking as someone who adores the Mass Effect franchise, even I have to admit that Andromeda—while arguably not as terrible as everyone says it is—was still probably the weakest in the series, failing to meet the high expectations set by the original trilogy in terms of both storytelling and character development. Furthermore, by the end of the game, there were many plot threads left hanging and questions unanswered, and sadly, it has been announced there will be no more downloadable content to follow up on any of this, at least for the foreseeable future.
Luckily, this is where the tie-in novels come in. Mass Effect: Annihilation finally addresses one of the game’s biggest mysteries, and not only that, they’ve tapped an incredible author to do the honors. And if Catherynne M. Valente’s name being attached to the project isn’t enough to get you excited, then surely the prospect of finding out the fate of Quarian ark will, for this story takes us aboard the Keelah Si’yah, a colony ship carrying twenty thousand souls, all cryogenically frozen, on their way to their new home in the Andromeda galaxy. Though the vessel is of Quarian origin, on board are colonists from many of the other non-council races, including the Drell, Elcor, Hanar, Volus and Batarians. With still a long way to go before they reach their destination, however, a Sleepwalker team is alerted by the ship’s AI to strange readings on many of the Drell cryopods. To their horror, they find the pods’ occupants dead, infected by some unknown virus.
Before long, it is determined the deaths are no accident. The pathogen begins to jump species, affecting colonists that are not Drell. Then, many of the ship’s systems start to fail. Someone aboard the Keelah Si’yah is sabotaging their mission on purpose, and what’s more, this killer seems to know their way around the ship. With the situation becoming more desperate, the Sleepwalker team must put their differences aside and work together before time runs out.
In general, tie-in novels are tough to review, but I will say this: those who enjoyed playing Andromeda and wanted to spend more time in the game’s world will likely be happy with Mass Effect: Annihilation. However, those who aren’t familiar with the Mass Effect universe will probably be left unsatisfied. While all the books in the series have been standalone so far, my feeling is that at least some background knowledge of the games is required, or else this one is going to be very confusing.
To her credit, Valente clearly knows her way around the Mass Effect universe, but she is also writing with the assumption that the reader has played Andromeda and is already aware of much of the game lore. For one thing, the characters in this novel are aliens. Mass Effect features some of the best aliens in any science fiction franchise, but the truth of the matter is, you can’t fully appreciate them unless you have played some of the games. Sure, each species has a unique charm and their own personality quirks, but admittedly none of these would be all that entertaining or helpful, if what you’re seeking is a deeper connection to the characters. A lot of books starring non-human protagonists will feature lots of character development to compensate, but this one relies on the reader having that prior knowledge.
Where Annihilation really excels though, is its mystery plot. As circumstances get increasingly more desperate for the Sleepwalker crew, we see each character step up and lend their particular skills and talents to the problem. Like any good investigative team, they’ve delegated their tasks to make the situation more manageable, so that they can attack the three most pressing issues all at once, which is find the killer, cure the disease, and repair the failing ship systems. The result is that the story ends up being one-part murder mystery, one-part medical suspense, and one-part tech thriller—in other words, not a bad combination at all. My only complaint is the lack of action. Previous novels in the franchise have done a better job capturing at the action-adventure and combat feel of the games, but that’s just my personal impression. We get some action short bursts here and there, but the bulk of the book is brainstorming and discussion, and lots of it. Some of this provided great build-up and intrigue for the mystery, but again, those new to Mass Effect might find the lengthy scenes of deliberation and dialogue tedious.
In spite of everything though, I really enjoyed this book. Annihilation is another great addition to the Mass Effect novel series, featuring quality writing and storytelling that proves once more how far the media tie-in, as a genre, has come. Unless you know the Mass Effect universe or are a mega-fan of Catherynne M. Valente, I don’t know how much you’re going to get out of it, but it’s definitely a must-read if you love the games.
Although we’re here to talk about a book, no discussion about Mass Effect: Andromeda: Annihilation would be possible without at least acknowledging the fan response to the game it was based on, which many found unremarkable, if not disappointing. Speaking as someone who adores the Mass Effect franchise, even I have to admit that Andromeda—while arguably not as terrible as everyone says it is—was still probably the weakest in the series, failing to meet the high expectations set by the original trilogy in terms of both storytelling and character development. Furthermore, by the end of the game, there were many plot threads left hanging and questions unanswered, and sadly, it has been announced there will be no more downloadable content to follow up on any of this, at least for the foreseeable future.
Luckily, this is where the tie-in novels come in. Mass Effect: Annihilation finally addresses one of the game’s biggest mysteries, and not only that, they’ve tapped an incredible author to do the honors. And if Catherynne M. Valente’s name being attached to the project isn’t enough to get you excited, then surely the prospect of finding out the fate of Quarian ark will, for this story takes us aboard the Keelah Si’yah, a colony ship carrying twenty thousand souls, all cryogenically frozen, on their way to their new home in the Andromeda galaxy. Though the vessel is of Quarian origin, on board are colonists from many of the other non-council races, including the Drell, Elcor, Hanar, Volus and Batarians. With still a long way to go before they reach their destination, however, a Sleepwalker team is alerted by the ship’s AI to strange readings on many of the Drell cryopods. To their horror, they find the pods’ occupants dead, infected by some unknown virus.
Before long, it is determined the deaths are no accident. The pathogen begins to jump species, affecting colonists that are not Drell. Then, many of the ship’s systems start to fail. Someone aboard the Keelah Si’yah is sabotaging their mission on purpose, and what’s more, this killer seems to know their way around the ship. With the situation becoming more desperate, the Sleepwalker team must put their differences aside and work together before time runs out.
In general, tie-in novels are tough to review, but I will say this: those who enjoyed playing Andromeda and wanted to spend more time in the game’s world will likely be happy with Mass Effect: Annihilation. However, those who aren’t familiar with the Mass Effect universe will probably be left unsatisfied. While all the books in the series have been standalone so far, my feeling is that at least some background knowledge of the games is required, or else this one is going to be very confusing.
To her credit, Valente clearly knows her way around the Mass Effect universe, but she is also writing with the assumption that the reader has played Andromeda and is already aware of much of the game lore. For one thing, the characters in this novel are aliens. Mass Effect features some of the best aliens in any science fiction franchise, but the truth of the matter is, you can’t fully appreciate them unless you have played some of the games. Sure, each species has a unique charm and their own personality quirks, but admittedly none of these would be all that entertaining or helpful, if what you’re seeking is a deeper connection to the characters. A lot of books starring non-human protagonists will feature lots of character development to compensate, but this one relies on the reader having that prior knowledge.
Where Annihilation really excels though, is its mystery plot. As circumstances get increasingly more desperate for the Sleepwalker crew, we see each character step up and lend their particular skills and talents to the problem. Like any good investigative team, they’ve delegated their tasks to make the situation more manageable, so that they can attack the three most pressing issues all at once, which is find the killer, cure the disease, and repair the failing ship systems. The result is that the story ends up being one-part murder mystery, one-part medical suspense, and one-part tech thriller—in other words, not a bad combination at all. My only complaint is the lack of action. Previous novels in the franchise have done a better job capturing at the action-adventure and combat feel of the games, but that’s just my personal impression. We get some action short bursts here and there, but the bulk of the book is brainstorming and discussion, and lots of it. Some of this provided great build-up and intrigue for the mystery, but again, those new to Mass Effect might find the lengthy scenes of deliberation and dialogue tedious.
In spite of everything though, I really enjoyed this book. Annihilation is another great addition to the Mass Effect novel series, featuring quality writing and storytelling that proves once more how far the media tie-in, as a genre, has come. Unless you know the Mass Effect universe or are a mega-fan of Catherynne M. Valente, I don’t know how much you’re going to get out of it, but it’s definitely a must-read if you love the games.
April 1, 2021
One of the best tie-in novels I've read in a long time.
What happens when you wake up in the middle of a centuries-long journey spent in cryopods, because certain people aboard your massive floating home have been killed in their sleep?
Annihiliation takes full advantage of the best parts of the Mass Effect: Andromeda concept. The arks, the enormous space vessels traversing the black reaches of space, transporting thousands of individuals from the Milky Way races on a 600-year journey to a new home in the distant Andromeda galaxy, take centre stage. The isolation from the rest of the universe, the confinement of a spaceship and the psychological trauma deriving from it all come together to create the perfect setting for a non-silly murder mystery slash environmental thriller set in space.
Annihilation essentially adds all that was missing from Mass Effect: Andromeda. While asari, salarians and turians are cool enough, it is the non-council races who provide the most interesting glimpses into what alien civilisation might look like. Because the ark in question is the quarian ark. Even if there were only quarians (aka the most intriguing people in the Mass Effect series) that would be interesting in itself. But now, here are drell, hanar, volus, elcor and batarians, providing for an excellent chance to see the galaxy from the perspective of fascinating aliens who have been starved for attention.
On top of it all, there's references to elcor Hamlet.
What happens when you wake up in the middle of a centuries-long journey spent in cryopods, because certain people aboard your massive floating home have been killed in their sleep?
Annihiliation takes full advantage of the best parts of the Mass Effect: Andromeda concept. The arks, the enormous space vessels traversing the black reaches of space, transporting thousands of individuals from the Milky Way races on a 600-year journey to a new home in the distant Andromeda galaxy, take centre stage. The isolation from the rest of the universe, the confinement of a spaceship and the psychological trauma deriving from it all come together to create the perfect setting for a non-silly murder mystery slash environmental thriller set in space.
Annihilation essentially adds all that was missing from Mass Effect: Andromeda. While asari, salarians and turians are cool enough, it is the non-council races who provide the most interesting glimpses into what alien civilisation might look like. Because the ark in question is the quarian ark. Even if there were only quarians (aka the most intriguing people in the Mass Effect series) that would be interesting in itself. But now, here are drell, hanar, volus, elcor and batarians, providing for an excellent chance to see the galaxy from the perspective of fascinating aliens who have been starved for attention.
On top of it all, there's references to elcor Hamlet.
November 13, 2018
Contained emotion: this book was amazing. With cautious excitement: I’m looking forward to hearing news of ME:A2
November 24, 2018
I loved Mass Effect Andromeda and for a long time after finishing the game I held hope there would be DLCs. One of those could have been about the Quarian ark, as at the end of the game it is revealed the Keelah Si'yah is in trouble. Alas: EA decided to pull the plug and I didn't get a Quarian ark DLC. So you bet I preordered this book as soon as I knew it was about the Keelah Si'yah.
And this is a really great book. Even better than Nexus Uprising.
The Quarian ark is travelling through space, all its occupants in cryosleep when three sleepwalkers (specialists who wake up once in awhile to check the ship) are woken up off schedule, because the ship detects an anomaly. The three of them soon realize there is trouble and they need to act fast or the whole ark may be lost.
The three specialists are the viewpoint characters in this book, and I especially loved Yorrik: an Elcor doctor who dreams of being an actor once the ark reaches Andromeda. He has to work on finding a cure together with a Hanar who doesn't like him. Yorrik's chapters were my favorite, and I rooted for him to save the day and realize his dreams.
Then there is Senn, a Quarian who loves machines and VI's. He's not your typical Quarian, and I very much liked him as well. He is levelheaded, and open to change and creative solutions.
The last viewpoint character was a Drell detective and she was the least interesting to me. Most probably because she keeps lying and adapting herself according to who she is talking to, so you don't really get to know her. Luckily the characters she gets teamed up with - a Batarian and a Volus - are interesting.
The story is suspenseful and tense. I couldn't put the book down, I had to know if they could catch the culprit and save the ark. There were some really heartbreaking moments, and the ending was bittersweet. If it was impossible to get this story as a DLC, this book is certainly the next best thing. I might need to do another playthrough of the game soon.
And this is a really great book. Even better than Nexus Uprising.
The Quarian ark is travelling through space, all its occupants in cryosleep when three sleepwalkers (specialists who wake up once in awhile to check the ship) are woken up off schedule, because the ship detects an anomaly. The three of them soon realize there is trouble and they need to act fast or the whole ark may be lost.
The three specialists are the viewpoint characters in this book, and I especially loved Yorrik: an Elcor doctor who dreams of being an actor once the ark reaches Andromeda. He has to work on finding a cure together with a Hanar who doesn't like him. Yorrik's chapters were my favorite, and I rooted for him to save the day and realize his dreams.
Then there is Senn, a Quarian who loves machines and VI's. He's not your typical Quarian, and I very much liked him as well. He is levelheaded, and open to change and creative solutions.
The last viewpoint character was a Drell detective and she was the least interesting to me. Most probably because she keeps lying and adapting herself according to who she is talking to, so you don't really get to know her. Luckily the characters she gets teamed up with - a Batarian and a Volus - are interesting.
The story is suspenseful and tense. I couldn't put the book down, I had to know if they could catch the culprit and save the ark. There were some really heartbreaking moments, and the ending was bittersweet. If it was impossible to get this story as a DLC, this book is certainly the next best thing. I might need to do another playthrough of the game soon.
February 29, 2020
I really enjoyed this one. A snarky elcor was just the beginning of the good times. A mystery that stayed under wraps, a hanar that gets high AF, a really likable quarian first officer and a mysterious drell all meant good times to me. 😁
November 26, 2018
Catherynne M. Valente's Mass Effect: Annihilation is so freaking good you guys. It's hilarious, horrifying, riveting, and stuffed full to bursting with Mass Effect deliciousness. The looping space-noir narrative starts off with a bang and doesn't let up until the closing pages. In addition to the aforementioned, Valente masterfully fulfilled the long running promise/gag of Elcor Shakespeare that never materialized in the games.
Now, I will admit that I am someone who loves the labyrinthine, lyrical forests of words and phrases with which Valente normally constructs her books. In this novel, however, she decided to take a more straightforward approach to verbiage and metaphor that still somehow manages to retain the poetic and unique tone that is unquestionably Valente. She flat out nails it.
Having played any of the Mass Effect games will definitely enhance the reading experience of this book - there is no two ways about it. In-jokes like Elcor Shakespeare pepper the script. That should not, however, stop a newbie from checking this out. Valente weaves enough descriptions and histories throughout the dialogue and narrative to bring newcomers up to speed on the fundamentals of the races/universe without feeling like they're sitting through a lecture, and they will assuredly be able to enjoy the ride. Hell, even calling this "Book #3" is silly as it can be read as a standalone story.
So strap on your omni-tool, settle into your cryo-chamber, and blast off toward the Andromeda Galaxy with Annihilation.
Now, I will admit that I am someone who loves the labyrinthine, lyrical forests of words and phrases with which Valente normally constructs her books. In this novel, however, she decided to take a more straightforward approach to verbiage and metaphor that still somehow manages to retain the poetic and unique tone that is unquestionably Valente. She flat out nails it.
Having played any of the Mass Effect games will definitely enhance the reading experience of this book - there is no two ways about it. In-jokes like Elcor Shakespeare pepper the script. That should not, however, stop a newbie from checking this out. Valente weaves enough descriptions and histories throughout the dialogue and narrative to bring newcomers up to speed on the fundamentals of the races/universe without feeling like they're sitting through a lecture, and they will assuredly be able to enjoy the ride. Hell, even calling this "Book #3" is silly as it can be read as a standalone story.
So strap on your omni-tool, settle into your cryo-chamber, and blast off toward the Andromeda Galaxy with Annihilation.
May 2, 2020
This is very slow-paced and character-focused, maybe even too much for me.
The characters are really fun for the most part and I loved learning about the different species on board and what set them apart from each other. I think that´s were the book shines most. It´s just, for a long time this was the only thing it consisted of. That and people arguing. The plot was in the background for a lot of it and moved incredibly slow. Once it picked up, it was actually quite interesting and well done, but I had kinda lost focus by then.
Maybe it would have worked better for me if I hasn't experienced it as an audio book and could have enjoyed it more at my own pace instead. The narrator was great, though. He gave everyone their own voice and increased the fun factor for me.
Maybe the characters were just not strong enough to carry the book. They are quirky and interesting, but I never grew attached to them or really cared for them in any way. I enjoyed my time with them, especially with two of them, but it wasn't enough to compensate for the lack of plot in chunks of the book.
The book is funny and has Valente´s typical nice writing, so if that´s enough for you, it´s fine. For me, the audio book became more and more a background thing instead of something I was actively wanting to continue badly. Still not a bad book by any means.
The characters are really fun for the most part and I loved learning about the different species on board and what set them apart from each other. I think that´s were the book shines most. It´s just, for a long time this was the only thing it consisted of. That and people arguing. The plot was in the background for a lot of it and moved incredibly slow. Once it picked up, it was actually quite interesting and well done, but I had kinda lost focus by then.
Maybe it would have worked better for me if I hasn't experienced it as an audio book and could have enjoyed it more at my own pace instead. The narrator was great, though. He gave everyone their own voice and increased the fun factor for me.
Maybe the characters were just not strong enough to carry the book. They are quirky and interesting, but I never grew attached to them or really cared for them in any way. I enjoyed my time with them, especially with two of them, but it wasn't enough to compensate for the lack of plot in chunks of the book.
The book is funny and has Valente´s typical nice writing, so if that´s enough for you, it´s fine. For me, the audio book became more and more a background thing instead of something I was actively wanting to continue badly. Still not a bad book by any means.
June 14, 2022
Tie-in fiction can often be a little hit and miss, and from what I've read of BioWare's offerings that supplement the games has often left me feeling somewhat let down. But then, on the other hand, I love the lore, can spend hours picking it apart, so there is that. And it's for this reason that I'll dig into the supplementary content because let's be honest, who has time to game much these days.
I will admit that Mass Effect Andromeda was my starting point with the ME games, which is possibly not the best place to dig into the franchise, but there we have it. And while MEA didn't hit me with a cosmic 2x4 the way Dragon Age Inquisition did, I still enjoyed the game, glitchy as it was. As a noob to the ME world, I will also admit that I didn't have an established context for half the details taken for granted by others.
There's a lot of potential for content in the ME games, and I vaguely recall that the two books that tie in with MEA were meant to supplement the main storyline – and in Annihilation by Catherynne M Valente, we discover the fate of the Quarian Ark, the Keelah Si'yah.
The plot is very much a case of 'let's make a list of anything that can and will go wrong on a space-faring vessel' ... and then some. And considering when the novel came out, it was, ahem, oddly prescient in investigating how people deal with a pandemic. Part 'whodunnit', part MacGuyver-style quest, our desperate team must battle against the spread of a deadly disease and lack of resources, all while a metaphorical clock is counting down. No one ever said colonisation was easy, and if you're 600 light years out from your home world, there are no do-overs. You must make do, instead.
This was my introduction to most of the races that I didn't get to meet in the game, and I particularly loved the elcor doctor Yorrik with a penchant for Shakespeare. I will also admit that I struggled to tell my drells apart from my voluses, so if you've not played any of the games, you may want to visit the Wiki before plunging into Annihilation.
This was, to my knowledge, the first Catherynne M Valente book that I've read – and she's been on my radar awhile now, and I reckon she does a good job with this story. It's a bit slow-moving, I suspect, for some tastes, but I enjoyed the gradual unfolding and ramping up of tension. And ick, the pandemic theme was a little too close to the bone for me. Tom Taylorson does a bang-up job narrating, and I have no complaints there.
While this hasn't been the greatest hit I'm going to crow about in reviews, this was still an enjoyable read for someone who's wanting a better frame of reference for the ME universe. Alas, poor Yorrik.
I will admit that Mass Effect Andromeda was my starting point with the ME games, which is possibly not the best place to dig into the franchise, but there we have it. And while MEA didn't hit me with a cosmic 2x4 the way Dragon Age Inquisition did, I still enjoyed the game, glitchy as it was. As a noob to the ME world, I will also admit that I didn't have an established context for half the details taken for granted by others.
There's a lot of potential for content in the ME games, and I vaguely recall that the two books that tie in with MEA were meant to supplement the main storyline – and in Annihilation by Catherynne M Valente, we discover the fate of the Quarian Ark, the Keelah Si'yah.
The plot is very much a case of 'let's make a list of anything that can and will go wrong on a space-faring vessel' ... and then some. And considering when the novel came out, it was, ahem, oddly prescient in investigating how people deal with a pandemic. Part 'whodunnit', part MacGuyver-style quest, our desperate team must battle against the spread of a deadly disease and lack of resources, all while a metaphorical clock is counting down. No one ever said colonisation was easy, and if you're 600 light years out from your home world, there are no do-overs. You must make do, instead.
This was my introduction to most of the races that I didn't get to meet in the game, and I particularly loved the elcor doctor Yorrik with a penchant for Shakespeare. I will also admit that I struggled to tell my drells apart from my voluses, so if you've not played any of the games, you may want to visit the Wiki before plunging into Annihilation.
This was, to my knowledge, the first Catherynne M Valente book that I've read – and she's been on my radar awhile now, and I reckon she does a good job with this story. It's a bit slow-moving, I suspect, for some tastes, but I enjoyed the gradual unfolding and ramping up of tension. And ick, the pandemic theme was a little too close to the bone for me. Tom Taylorson does a bang-up job narrating, and I have no complaints there.
While this hasn't been the greatest hit I'm going to crow about in reviews, this was still an enjoyable read for someone who's wanting a better frame of reference for the ME universe. Alas, poor Yorrik.
May 16, 2019
i loved this. snappy dialogue, good flow between scenes, and i LOVED the last chapter. i was waiting for that to happen literally the whole book and i can't believe it did!!
this book is a closed room type of mystery. the "sleepwalker" team (a multi species team that wakes up every once in a while to check on cryopods during the trip to andromeda) wake up about 30 years before reaching andromeda to realize that there are a bunch of drell and some hanar dead in their cryopods from some unknown virus. as the sleepwalker team attempts to figure out what is happening, different systems on the ship (the Keelah Si'yah) begin to lose proper function, but the system won't accept that anything is wrong - it's blind to whatever is happening. so the sleepwalker team is tasked with finding out what is happening so they can get to andromeda safely, without some new plague killing everyone before that can happen. fun!
i really liked the way the mystery played out, it was entertaining all the way through and i didn't feel like any point really dragged or anything. i didn't see the bad guy coming at ALL but i did like it. my fav thing about the book, though, was the relationships between the characters, specifically borbala ferank and anax therion. i loved them!! they were hilarious and i was always excited when their scenes came up.
i don't know why i always end up writing such long reviews for the mass effect andromeda books but i think it's just because they are actually like, really good. especially for video game adaptions which aren't always the Best. but the writing of this one was good, the plot was engaging, and i'm definitely going to check out some of the authors other books. AND i'm sad that this was the last of the mea book series. i'm going to miss it!!
this book is a closed room type of mystery. the "sleepwalker" team (a multi species team that wakes up every once in a while to check on cryopods during the trip to andromeda) wake up about 30 years before reaching andromeda to realize that there are a bunch of drell and some hanar dead in their cryopods from some unknown virus. as the sleepwalker team attempts to figure out what is happening, different systems on the ship (the Keelah Si'yah) begin to lose proper function, but the system won't accept that anything is wrong - it's blind to whatever is happening. so the sleepwalker team is tasked with finding out what is happening so they can get to andromeda safely, without some new plague killing everyone before that can happen. fun!
i really liked the way the mystery played out, it was entertaining all the way through and i didn't feel like any point really dragged or anything. i didn't see the bad guy coming at ALL but i did like it. my fav thing about the book, though, was the relationships between the characters, specifically borbala ferank and anax therion. i loved them!! they were hilarious and i was always excited when their scenes came up.
i don't know why i always end up writing such long reviews for the mass effect andromeda books but i think it's just because they are actually like, really good. especially for video game adaptions which aren't always the Best. but the writing of this one was good, the plot was engaging, and i'm definitely going to check out some of the authors other books. AND i'm sad that this was the last of the mea book series. i'm going to miss it!!
February 17, 2019
Such an unexpectedly great book with well flashed-out and complex characters (Yorrik <3) who serve as a proof that you don't need to include humans to tell an engaging Mass Effect story. I was also pleasantly surprised by how little exposition there was. Only the most important information from the ME universe was explained with the author trusting that the book will be read mostly by those who have completed the trilogy. For example: while each race that appears in the book is described in great detail together with their history and place in galactic hierarchy, the word "Spectre" is just casually dropped and not followed by lengthy exposition. After I finished the book I actually felt sad that there would not be any dlcs to ME Andromeda which says a lot given I despised the latest instalment in the series with every fiber of my being.
April 14, 2019
Warning: If you haven’t played the Mass Effect games it will be harder for you to understand this novel. It’s not impossible just harder. Wikipedia may be of assistance.
Having said that I found the book to be extremely well written. Catherynne Valiente is definitely on my radar as an author to watch. There was a lot of great humor, horror and mystery to keep the reader entertained.
The book is set on a spacecraft full of different alien species (No Humans onboard). The ship has been sabotaged and chaos ensues. It’s obvious that the initial plot was planned as DLC for Mass Effect Andromeda. I wish it had been released. It would have been amazing to play though this narrative.
Having said that I found the book to be extremely well written. Catherynne Valiente is definitely on my radar as an author to watch. There was a lot of great humor, horror and mystery to keep the reader entertained.
The book is set on a spacecraft full of different alien species (No Humans onboard). The ship has been sabotaged and chaos ensues. It’s obvious that the initial plot was planned as DLC for Mass Effect Andromeda. I wish it had been released. It would have been amazing to play though this narrative.
January 29, 2019
There's an odd moment where a Quarian is grappling with the various problems with VI, and the book describes his difficulty by stating "[he] could not do it. No human could". I can't quite work out whether the author forgot she was talking about a Quarian, or whether it was simply a very randomly placed comment about humans. Bear in mind, there are no humans anywhere in this book.
You see, the book is about the fabled Quarian Ark, the sadly never-to-be-played DLC for the game Mass Effect Andromeda. Being a fan of the series, and having enjoyed the game despite it's flaws, I was looking forward to reading about the ark's journey, and why exactly the garbled message sent to the Nexus was so serious. The Quarians themselves have been a favourite of mine ever since the first Mass Effect, and I was intrigued to learn more about them.
It's a bit of a shame that the book has had to share it's time between several different species. We learn a little about the Elcor (apparently every Elcor loves Shakespeare, a trait shared by our Elcor hero Yorrik, so obviously named that there's even a awkwardly shoehorned-in moment where a character does indeed say "alas poor Yorrik"), the Hanar (this one still finds them annoying), the Volus (they were angry little things in the game, and they're stereotyped here too in the same way - apart from one out-of-nowhere moment where a Volus actually shows some empathy), the Drell (who have a nice distinguishing feature of perfect memory recall but little else), and of course the Quarians...who are, well, humans in suits, basically.
Perhaps there's something to be said for all sentient species sharing similar characteristics, but the tendency to anthropomorphise everyone gets a little grating. There's nothing special about these characters, nothing that will stay with me for weeks to come. Maybe there's a reason why all these species, perhaps apart from the Quarians, had relatively minor status in the games - there's just not enough to keep interest in them.
Segue...and that's the problem with the book. There's nothing really wrong with it, it just spends far too much time on boring characters. The first half of the book is quite literally spent in a medical room, making Shakespeare jokes and having annoying characters be annoying. There's a few incidences where a character will offend another, who will then storm off somewhere...and the story stops to make a very long point about nothing in particular. Once the story picks up and it becomes more of a thriller, the interest grows, but ultimately the raison d'etre is just something you'll have seen or read a dozen times before.
All I can say is that if this was the idea behind the DLC, before it was cancelled, I would have been left sorely disappointed. Or perhaps not, as it takes emotion to feel that way, and all that I feel from the book is utter ambivalence.
You see, the book is about the fabled Quarian Ark, the sadly never-to-be-played DLC for the game Mass Effect Andromeda. Being a fan of the series, and having enjoyed the game despite it's flaws, I was looking forward to reading about the ark's journey, and why exactly the garbled message sent to the Nexus was so serious. The Quarians themselves have been a favourite of mine ever since the first Mass Effect, and I was intrigued to learn more about them.
It's a bit of a shame that the book has had to share it's time between several different species. We learn a little about the Elcor (apparently every Elcor loves Shakespeare, a trait shared by our Elcor hero Yorrik, so obviously named that there's even a awkwardly shoehorned-in moment where a character does indeed say "alas poor Yorrik"), the Hanar (this one still finds them annoying), the Volus (they were angry little things in the game, and they're stereotyped here too in the same way - apart from one out-of-nowhere moment where a Volus actually shows some empathy), the Drell (who have a nice distinguishing feature of perfect memory recall but little else), and of course the Quarians...who are, well, humans in suits, basically.
Perhaps there's something to be said for all sentient species sharing similar characteristics, but the tendency to anthropomorphise everyone gets a little grating. There's nothing special about these characters, nothing that will stay with me for weeks to come. Maybe there's a reason why all these species, perhaps apart from the Quarians, had relatively minor status in the games - there's just not enough to keep interest in them.
Segue...and that's the problem with the book. There's nothing really wrong with it, it just spends far too much time on boring characters. The first half of the book is quite literally spent in a medical room, making Shakespeare jokes and having annoying characters be annoying. There's a few incidences where a character will offend another, who will then storm off somewhere...and the story stops to make a very long point about nothing in particular. Once the story picks up and it becomes more of a thriller, the interest grows, but ultimately the raison d'etre is just something you'll have seen or read a dozen times before.
All I can say is that if this was the idea behind the DLC, before it was cancelled, I would have been left sorely disappointed. Or perhaps not, as it takes emotion to feel that way, and all that I feel from the book is utter ambivalence.
April 28, 2019
An Elcor and Hanar having a conversation about Hamlet is almost worth the price of admission itself. I wonder if the ending had to be changed after the DLC was cancelled because it suddenly changes pace quickly near the end and feels a bit rushed.
Anyway, everything that is interesting in it is about the political dynamics between the species in the Milky Way and reminds you of what was great about the original trilogy. They need to find a way to get the setting back into the Milky Way. Someone who is a great writer needs to find a way where we can get back to the story in the Milky Way without retconning ME3. Even if a light retcon is necessary or just choosing one of the endings to be canon is necessary that may be worth it to just get back to what all the fans really care about which is the Milky Way storyline.
Anyway, everything that is interesting in it is about the political dynamics between the species in the Milky Way and reminds you of what was great about the original trilogy. They need to find a way to get the setting back into the Milky Way. Someone who is a great writer needs to find a way where we can get back to the story in the Milky Way without retconning ME3. Even if a light retcon is necessary or just choosing one of the endings to be canon is necessary that may be worth it to just get back to what all the fans really care about which is the Milky Way storyline.
April 19, 2019
I really need to play Andromeda and go find their ship 😳
July 22, 2021
If you're one of the many womens I work with and love, pass me by. I'm going through some things.
Lyds: as the only one who might actually read this, I'm going in with the assumption that anyone who picked up this book finished Andromeda, so everything that is marked as a spoiler is a spoiler for the game. Thus, this should be safe for you if you want to read it. If not, thanks for accepting my existential crises texts. YOU WERE RIGHT
Anyways. Hello, anyone out in this desolate wasteland that is the Andromeda fandom in 2021.
I'm someone who plays Mass Effect games for
1. Character story arcs
1a. Dialogue
1b. Aggressive women
2. Plot
3. The opportunity to punch jerks
and also, I genuinely loved Andromeda. Until I got to the end. And realized everyone else's collective hissy fit is the reason
Listen. Listen. I needed to know. I would have taken a 10 minute podcast. I would have taken a 3-page PDF. So when I realized there was a book?? Written by a woman?? Take my money and give me closure, Catherynne!!!
That being said, it would have taken very little to satisfy me. So I was delighted that this book was so delightful. And when I say delightful, I mean this book oscillated between sitcom hijinks and absolutely fked up in 3 minutes time. It's hilarious & tender-hearted, dark & brutal, and kills characters you love in the blink of an eye - basically, it's mass effect.
Now, I love Shepard and her increasingly-traumatized Justice League, and I love Ryder and her clown car full of horny millennials, but my heart's desire is for a game centered on a B-team of bumbling aliens, not a super human in sight. And if you were really granting wishes, oh magic genie over at bioware, those aliens would be the inversed gender of what we typically worked with in the franchise.
And this book is exactly that.
ENTER
- a big squish male quarian who loves VI
- an emotionally manipulative female (!!!) drell (!!!) detective i'd probably let murder me who said that
- an elcor named Yorrik who has the absolute best lines by a mile
- a zealous hanar who literally doesn't fear death
- a female (omg guys) batarian crime lord
- a ferocious female (I'm crying) volus (openly weeping) with a dirty mouth and a loaded shotgun
add in:
- approximately One braincell
- a heaping spoonful of prejudice
- some pretty fair questions about why this band of misfits are all considered second-class species
and you've got this delightful murder mystery in deep space.
The greatest tragedy is that we'll never get to play this storyline. It would be incredible. The same psychos who developed Overlord could have definitely developed this. But tbh Ryder would have gotten killed immediately
Catherynne excelled at razor-sharp dialogue, openly hostile women, punching jerks, and - oh yeah, told me And it was MESSED UP. Where were you when they were writing
Anyway here's a dump of lines that made me laugh out loud on a plane:
"Enthusiastically: Greetings. Greetings. It is a beautiful morning. Don't you think it's a beautiful morning? With Overwhelming Joy: What horrible thing do you think has happened?"
"Six hundred years of Sleepwalker files. With her."
"I'll be gentle."
"Why aren't you panicking?"
"With Panic: I am panicking."
And this gem that I hope someone says about me at my funeral:
"Ryncol tastes like lighting all your mistakes on fire in a glass barrel and then eating the barrel. Mouthfeel like a tactical nuke."
anyway bury me in the deep vacuum of space. I have some semblance of closure. Despite my hope that legendary revives at least one (1) androm DLC.
Lyds: as the only one who might actually read this, I'm going in with the assumption that anyone who picked up this book finished Andromeda, so everything that is marked as a spoiler is a spoiler for the game. Thus, this should be safe for you if you want to read it. If not, thanks for accepting my existential crises texts. YOU WERE RIGHT
Anyways. Hello, anyone out in this desolate wasteland that is the Andromeda fandom in 2021.
I'm someone who plays Mass Effect games for
1. Character story arcs
1a. Dialogue
1b. Aggressive women
2. Plot
3. The opportunity to punch jerks
and also, I genuinely loved Andromeda. Until I got to the end. And realized everyone else's collective hissy fit is the reason
Listen. Listen. I needed to know. I would have taken a 10 minute podcast. I would have taken a 3-page PDF. So when I realized there was a book?? Written by a woman?? Take my money and give me closure, Catherynne!!!
That being said, it would have taken very little to satisfy me. So I was delighted that this book was so delightful. And when I say delightful, I mean this book oscillated between sitcom hijinks and absolutely fked up in 3 minutes time. It's hilarious & tender-hearted, dark & brutal, and kills characters you love in the blink of an eye - basically, it's mass effect.
Now, I love Shepard and her increasingly-traumatized Justice League, and I love Ryder and her clown car full of horny millennials, but my heart's desire is for a game centered on a B-team of bumbling aliens, not a super human in sight. And if you were really granting wishes, oh magic genie over at bioware, those aliens would be the inversed gender of what we typically worked with in the franchise.
And this book is exactly that.
ENTER
- a big squish male quarian who loves VI
- an emotionally manipulative female (!!!) drell (!!!) detective i'd probably let murder me who said that
- an elcor named Yorrik who has the absolute best lines by a mile
- a zealous hanar who literally doesn't fear death
- a female (omg guys) batarian crime lord
- a ferocious female (I'm crying) volus (openly weeping) with a dirty mouth and a loaded shotgun
add in:
- approximately One braincell
- a heaping spoonful of prejudice
- some pretty fair questions about why this band of misfits are all considered second-class species
and you've got this delightful murder mystery in deep space.
The greatest tragedy is that we'll never get to play this storyline. It would be incredible. The same psychos who developed Overlord could have definitely developed this. But tbh Ryder would have gotten killed immediately
Catherynne excelled at razor-sharp dialogue, openly hostile women, punching jerks, and - oh yeah, told me And it was MESSED UP. Where were you when they were writing
Anyway here's a dump of lines that made me laugh out loud on a plane:
"Enthusiastically: Greetings. Greetings. It is a beautiful morning. Don't you think it's a beautiful morning? With Overwhelming Joy: What horrible thing do you think has happened?"
"Six hundred years of Sleepwalker files. With her."
"I'll be gentle."
"Why aren't you panicking?"
"With Panic: I am panicking."
And this gem that I hope someone says about me at my funeral:
"Ryncol tastes like lighting all your mistakes on fire in a glass barrel and then eating the barrel. Mouthfeel like a tactical nuke."
anyway bury me in the deep vacuum of space. I have some semblance of closure. Despite my hope that legendary revives at least one (1) androm DLC.
July 9, 2024
This book was amazing. The characters were amazing. I love Yorrik, the elcor who keeps quoting Shakespear. I love Senna'Nir vas Keelah Si'yah who is treading way too close to AI for quarian comfort. I love all the characters of Sleepwalker Team Blue-7, the more you get to know them or be confused by them over the length of the book. I love how we get to know quarians, drell, hanar, elcor, volus and batarians much closer in this book.
Already after the prologue with getting to know the human tech, working on adapring the Keelah Si'yah to its many spieces, I should have known how much I would come to enjoy all the characters I met in the Keelah Si'yah. The author has really won me over with her way of writing characters and furthering the story on board the Keelah Si'yah.
I am so happy to get to read more about all the different species often forgotten by the council races. Understanding them and truly feeling that we are sticking to the lore of Mass Effect. Having Liar'Nir drink ryncol threw me off at first, since krogan are levo-based, but then I realized pure alcohol should not have any proteins so it should be safe for dextro-based spiecies as well. I felt this book scratched my Mass Effect itch well, giving me more information on quarian (and other spiecies') culture, as well as not being way out there with the science and tech, making it feel believable. And for the story per se, it is not a genre I would gravitate towards, but the urgency throughout the story on the progressing disease, as well as always having the nagging question in the background on why and who, made for an excellent scene. I am so happy that I read this at last.
I have never been more sad that there wasn't a DLC covering the quarian ark for Mass Effect Andromeda. This book is self contained, but the end is obviously teasing us about something to come.
Already after the prologue with getting to know the human tech, working on adapring the Keelah Si'yah to its many spieces, I should have known how much I would come to enjoy all the characters I met in the Keelah Si'yah. The author has really won me over with her way of writing characters and furthering the story on board the Keelah Si'yah.
I am so happy to get to read more about all the different species often forgotten by the council races. Understanding them and truly feeling that we are sticking to the lore of Mass Effect. Having Liar'Nir drink ryncol threw me off at first, since krogan are levo-based, but then I realized pure alcohol should not have any proteins so it should be safe for dextro-based spiecies as well. I felt this book scratched my Mass Effect itch well, giving me more information on quarian (and other spiecies') culture, as well as not being way out there with the science and tech, making it feel believable. And for the story per se, it is not a genre I would gravitate towards, but the urgency throughout the story on the progressing disease, as well as always having the nagging question in the background on why and who, made for an excellent scene. I am so happy that I read this at last.
I have never been more sad that there wasn't a DLC covering the quarian ark for Mass Effect Andromeda. This book is self contained, but the end is obviously teasing us about something to come.
November 13, 2018
I pre-ordered the book months before it came out because i read the first two Mass Effect Andromeda novels, and I loved them. More than the game even. The writing in the first one was really good. It's told from the perspective of a few of the characters from the game, mainly Sloane and the writing reflected each different character's personality, which i thought was a nice touch. I loved the second book because the story turned out to be a lot more captivating than I was expecting and it also provided an in-depth look at one of the characters in the game.
The writing of this book was alright, nothing really stood out about it. The mystery was what kept me going but, I do feel like there was a lot of unnecessary padding which only served to make the book longer without really adding anything to the story. It doesn't really progress smoothly and the conclusion, though unexpected, didn't really seem like it was reached through any progression of the story. I don't want to elaborate on that because it might spoil the story. I initially got it because of the cliff-hanger that the game ended in and i wanted to find out what happened. The story itself I loved and i remember literally gasping when I read the blurb. When I heard the distress signal from the Quarian ark at the end of the game, I immediately thought that it was probably an issue that we could solve by going in guns blazing. but I was pleasantly surprised. It's a great book for fans because it helps tie up one loose end from the game so I definitely recommend it.
For people who've never played the game, I don't think you would get the full experience but I think you would understand the story nonetheless. The characters and different species from the game are explained well enough that it paints a good picture for newcomers to the series. You also don't need to have read the previous books to understand it so I still recommend
The writing of this book was alright, nothing really stood out about it. The mystery was what kept me going but, I do feel like there was a lot of unnecessary padding which only served to make the book longer without really adding anything to the story. It doesn't really progress smoothly and the conclusion, though unexpected, didn't really seem like it was reached through any progression of the story. I don't want to elaborate on that because it might spoil the story. I initially got it because of the cliff-hanger that the game ended in and i wanted to find out what happened. The story itself I loved and i remember literally gasping when I read the blurb. When I heard the distress signal from the Quarian ark at the end of the game, I immediately thought that it was probably an issue that we could solve by going in guns blazing. but I was pleasantly surprised. It's a great book for fans because it helps tie up one loose end from the game so I definitely recommend it.
For people who've never played the game, I don't think you would get the full experience but I think you would understand the story nonetheless. The characters and different species from the game are explained well enough that it paints a good picture for newcomers to the series. You also don't need to have read the previous books to understand it so I still recommend
December 7, 2018
As the Quarian ark Keelah Si'yah sails toward the Andromeda galaxy, it carries 20,000 colonists from several races including the Drell, Elcor, and Batarians. Along the way a routine check reveals that many of the Drell colonists have died in their cryopods and a pathogen is discovered. It begins to jump species, then the ship's tech begins to fail, making it clear that this is no accident. It's murder and the perpetrator is still on board.
A murder mystery in space with a joke thrown in at the same time. "What do you get with an elcor, drell, hannar, barterian, and a quarian on a ship? A 8 hour read and disappointing end ok not a funny joke but everything leading up to this book is a joke. This was a story that was promised in game as DLC but now we have it as a follow up book which i can't really complain at least i now know what happend to my favourite gipsys and the rest of the crew. And the story is not that bad it's the best of the andromida series. The charecters are all intresting and have there own benifits to the team to figure out what has gone wrong. And it all pays off in the end there are happy and sad revelations to the mystery and some new knowledge about the qurians that i didn't know about the family VI disc which fits in well with the golden age of the qurians before the geth. Now the ending is intresting and a complete shock to me but still disappointing because i wanted more having to wait this long for this story. And still no revalation of who the mysterious benefactor is i guess I'll have the wait till ME:A 2 for that answer as well as few more. So overall i liked it dispite the bad ending it wasn't a bad story and im glad i now know the story of the legendary qurian DLC 😅 even if i rather have played the story instead of reading it hay ho this door is now closed.
5/5 stars on Goodreads
95/100 Ginger points
A murder mystery in space with a joke thrown in at the same time. "What do you get with an elcor, drell, hannar, barterian, and a quarian on a ship? A 8 hour read and disappointing end ok not a funny joke but everything leading up to this book is a joke. This was a story that was promised in game as DLC but now we have it as a follow up book which i can't really complain at least i now know what happend to my favourite gipsys and the rest of the crew. And the story is not that bad it's the best of the andromida series. The charecters are all intresting and have there own benifits to the team to figure out what has gone wrong. And it all pays off in the end there are happy and sad revelations to the mystery and some new knowledge about the qurians that i didn't know about the family VI disc which fits in well with the golden age of the qurians before the geth. Now the ending is intresting and a complete shock to me but still disappointing because i wanted more having to wait this long for this story. And still no revalation of who the mysterious benefactor is i guess I'll have the wait till ME:A 2 for that answer as well as few more. So overall i liked it dispite the bad ending it wasn't a bad story and im glad i now know the story of the legendary qurian DLC 😅 even if i rather have played the story instead of reading it hay ho this door is now closed.
5/5 stars on Goodreads
95/100 Ginger points
March 7, 2019
Like many others, I was thoroughly disappointed that we did not get the Quarian Ark DLC that was teased at the end of Mass Effect: Andromeda. While I did not expect a book to have the same kind of emotional impact I was hoping for with the DLC, I was curious enough about what happened to the Quarians that I had to pick this up.
I'll get my main complaint out of the way first: The pacing in Mass Effect: Annihilation is very slow. There are a lot of sections that don't seem to serve any purpose other than to lengthen the book. I found myself getting frustrated when, 1/3rd of the way in, no progress had been made and the main characters were pretty much just standing around arguing about what to do.
However, there are many good things about this book as well. For one, I love that the focus is not on humans at all. It's refreshing. The Elcor Yorrik is by far my favorite character, he made me burst out laughing on multiple occasions. The resourceful Batarian Borbala Ferank had a similar effect because of a certain sentence structure she repeats a few times throughout the book - you'll know what I mean once you've read it. Lastly, the Quarian Senna provides some intriguing backstory on Quarian history with synthetics - aside from the Geth.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has played Andromeda and is wondering what became of the Quarian Ark. I wouldn't advise reading it as a standalone book, but it will answer the questions any fan undoubtedly has.
I'll get my main complaint out of the way first: The pacing in Mass Effect: Annihilation is very slow. There are a lot of sections that don't seem to serve any purpose other than to lengthen the book. I found myself getting frustrated when, 1/3rd of the way in, no progress had been made and the main characters were pretty much just standing around arguing about what to do.
However, there are many good things about this book as well. For one, I love that the focus is not on humans at all. It's refreshing. The Elcor Yorrik is by far my favorite character, he made me burst out laughing on multiple occasions. The resourceful Batarian Borbala Ferank had a similar effect because of a certain sentence structure she repeats a few times throughout the book - you'll know what I mean once you've read it. Lastly, the Quarian Senna provides some intriguing backstory on Quarian history with synthetics - aside from the Geth.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has played Andromeda and is wondering what became of the Quarian Ark. I wouldn't advise reading it as a standalone book, but it will answer the questions any fan undoubtedly has.
February 8, 2021
I really enjoyed this one! A murder mystery IN SPACE!!! I’ve played the smallest amount of Mass Effect, but not enough to remember any of the alien names or really anything other than the MOST basic of plots. I was expecting those plots to play a role but they rly didn’t. Instead, the game was more background worldbuilding, and playing it is totally unnecessary to understand the book. This is more like a locked room murder mystery (except the room is a kilometer long spaceship and the murder is a mysterious disease killing ppl who should be locked in Cryosleep).
I read this mostly bc I wanted some more talking spaceship 🚀 after the Raadch series, and I loved Catherynne Valente’s Space Opera. This one was MASSIVELY SIMILAR in both tone and the way the aliens were introduced and handled. I love the way she establishes character. She introduces a totally bonkers alien race, and then slowly sprinkles in details until they feel really believable and understandable. And the mystery was really well paced.
Overall, really enjoyed it!
I read this mostly bc I wanted some more talking spaceship 🚀 after the Raadch series, and I loved Catherynne Valente’s Space Opera. This one was MASSIVELY SIMILAR in both tone and the way the aliens were introduced and handled. I love the way she establishes character. She introduces a totally bonkers alien race, and then slowly sprinkles in details until they feel really believable and understandable. And the mystery was really well paced.
Overall, really enjoyed it!
August 29, 2025
This book did not meet my expectations in terms of plot design. Mass Effect has been a strong space opera series with high stakes forcing hard decisions that I enjoy thinking through. This is more murder mystery level. I thought I was going to be getting a James S A Corey style book and instead I got John Grisham in space. It reminds me of the undergrad days when my 7 roommates would gather in the living room and religiously tune in to the weekly Scrubs release and instead of the usual comedy style we got the notorious musical episode and just felt a bit shorted. Maybe this style works for some, but it isn’t the usual approach to the series. It was generally quirky, felt a bit silly and in generally just didn’t do it for me. Murder mystery just isn’t my thing even when I go into it with low expectations. It is about 90% banter and this entry has about as much in common with the rest of the series as Star Wars and Farscape have in common. You’ve been warned. Back to the Halo and StarCraft books for me.
December 29, 2018
I read this book because I needed to know what had gone on with the Quarian ark. What I got was not only some answers to that mystery, but also a virtually human-free story filled with some great characters! With most sci-fi and fantasy these days being strictly human-only affairs, it was like a breath of fresh air to read something that got to explore some great alien races that had previously been relegated to the sidelines of the Mass Effect games. There weren't really even any battles, which one might expect in a Mass Effect book, and it was fine because the characters working to solve the mystery that had befallen them was action enough.
May 24, 2021
The 4 star review might be a little bias. I love the Mass Effect universe and I also really liked Mass Effect: Andromeda. What happened to the Quarian ark was the most tragic unsolved mystery from the game, and while I would prefer a game sequel, it's nice we at least got this. Media-tie ins can be hit or miss, but having Cat Valente write it certainly elevates it. That said, my only quibble with the book is that it can be a bit too wordy. The characters ruminate an awful lot and I frequently found myself skimming. It's very much a Valente hallmark but damn if she didn't make me care for a fucking Elcor.
October 11, 2021
This was really good. Sad, but really good. I did not see the ending coming (it works), but it got me...really well.
Reading this story during a global pandemic is maybe not the best, but in other ways...it makes the depths of this story hit harder.
Out of the stories in this Andromeda trilogy, this was the one that I liked the most. I do wish they had more interconnectiveness than they did, but it is what it is.
I will be reading the Drew Karpyshyn trilogy as time persists...which I do hope is one continuious story.
The Mass Effect universe is interesting. I like the diverse races and unique beliefs.
Reading this story during a global pandemic is maybe not the best, but in other ways...it makes the depths of this story hit harder.
Out of the stories in this Andromeda trilogy, this was the one that I liked the most. I do wish they had more interconnectiveness than they did, but it is what it is.
I will be reading the Drew Karpyshyn trilogy as time persists...which I do hope is one continuious story.
The Mass Effect universe is interesting. I like the diverse races and unique beliefs.
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