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Red Noise
Caught up in a space station turf war between gangs and corrupt law, a lone asteroid miner decides to take them all down.
When an asteroid miner comes to Station 35 looking to sell her cargo and get back to the solitude she craves, she gets swept up in a three-way standoff with gangs and crooked cops. Faced with either taking sides or cleaning out the Augean Stables, she breaks out the flamethrower.
When an asteroid miner comes to Station 35 looking to sell her cargo and get back to the solitude she craves, she gets swept up in a three-way standoff with gangs and crooked cops. Faced with either taking sides or cleaning out the Augean Stables, she breaks out the flamethrower.
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First published June 9, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
March 23, 2021
Yojimbo in space.
Like retelling of a classic fairy-tale, you know what is going to happen but the way it happens is surprisingly satisfying.
I enjoyed this book way too much
If you enjoyed Clint Eastwood in Fistful of Dollars or Bruce Willis in Last Man Standing then the Miner might be your new best friend.
Like retelling of a classic fairy-tale, you know what is going to happen but the way it happens is surprisingly satisfying.
I enjoyed this book way too much
If you enjoyed Clint Eastwood in Fistful of Dollars or Bruce Willis in Last Man Standing then the Miner might be your new best friend.
November 30, 2020
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/11/26/...
I have a weakness for space westerns, especially space westerns with revenge plots. Hence, I was immediately drawn to Red Noise by John P. Murphy, a sci-fi adventure teasing the intriguing combination of Japanese Samurai tradition meets Old West.
The story follows a nameless heroine, known only as the Miner, who arrives at Station 35 with the intent of trading her ore and hopefully pick up some supplies. However, what was supposed to be a quick stopover inevitably turns into a longer stay when the lawless residents of the space station try to mess with her, and of course, the Miner will have none of that. Using her past connections, she devises an intricate plan to take down the whole rotten system, pitting the various factions of crooked corporations, corrupt authorities, and merciless gangs against each other.
But Station 35 isn’t all bad, if you know where to look and who to ask for. Even in the darkest, grittiest underbelly of space there are still those willing to help the Miner clean house, doing what needs to be done. And apparently, what that means is a lot of violent killing and bloodshed.
I had a very difficult time unpacking all my thoughts for this review, for Red Noise ended up being a rather mixed bag of unrealized potential. That always leaves me in a tough place, because in truth, this novel had amazing strengths but also its fair share of disappointments.
As usual, I’ll begin with the positives, the main one (for me personally) being the fact Red Noise delivered exactly what was promised in its setting and premise. This book definitely has the space western vibe going for it, complete with a wild frontier feel and rough and tough-talking characters. And while I would not go so far as to call it light or humorous, there is an element of dry wit to the story that keeps things from getting too brutal and dark.
But now comes the not-so-great. The main problem for me, I think, was the writing. While technically sound, there’s simply not much life or charisma to the Murphy’s style, which I felt was a gross mismatch to the narrative’s tone and contents. The prose came across as clunky and somewhat stiff, not conducive at all when trying to tell an action-adventure story. That also goes for the character of the Miner, who was as relatable and flat as a cardboard cutout. I get how the author might have wanted to create an aura of mystique and enigma around the protagonist, but rather than a genuine person with genuine thoughts, motivations and feelings, she came across like a checklist of must-have stereotypical traits for the wandering ronin.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, this one lacked feeling. Overall, it’s still a decent read which moved quickly enough, but what it’s missing is that bit of magic dust to bring the world and the characters to life. As a result, I found it hard to feel excited when even the more action-y parts felt dry and uninspired.
At the end of the day, I felt Red Nose was mix of high points and low points. Personally, I loved the concept, though the execution was a bit weak. As always though, your mileage may vary.
I have a weakness for space westerns, especially space westerns with revenge plots. Hence, I was immediately drawn to Red Noise by John P. Murphy, a sci-fi adventure teasing the intriguing combination of Japanese Samurai tradition meets Old West.
The story follows a nameless heroine, known only as the Miner, who arrives at Station 35 with the intent of trading her ore and hopefully pick up some supplies. However, what was supposed to be a quick stopover inevitably turns into a longer stay when the lawless residents of the space station try to mess with her, and of course, the Miner will have none of that. Using her past connections, she devises an intricate plan to take down the whole rotten system, pitting the various factions of crooked corporations, corrupt authorities, and merciless gangs against each other.
But Station 35 isn’t all bad, if you know where to look and who to ask for. Even in the darkest, grittiest underbelly of space there are still those willing to help the Miner clean house, doing what needs to be done. And apparently, what that means is a lot of violent killing and bloodshed.
I had a very difficult time unpacking all my thoughts for this review, for Red Noise ended up being a rather mixed bag of unrealized potential. That always leaves me in a tough place, because in truth, this novel had amazing strengths but also its fair share of disappointments.
As usual, I’ll begin with the positives, the main one (for me personally) being the fact Red Noise delivered exactly what was promised in its setting and premise. This book definitely has the space western vibe going for it, complete with a wild frontier feel and rough and tough-talking characters. And while I would not go so far as to call it light or humorous, there is an element of dry wit to the story that keeps things from getting too brutal and dark.
But now comes the not-so-great. The main problem for me, I think, was the writing. While technically sound, there’s simply not much life or charisma to the Murphy’s style, which I felt was a gross mismatch to the narrative’s tone and contents. The prose came across as clunky and somewhat stiff, not conducive at all when trying to tell an action-adventure story. That also goes for the character of the Miner, who was as relatable and flat as a cardboard cutout. I get how the author might have wanted to create an aura of mystique and enigma around the protagonist, but rather than a genuine person with genuine thoughts, motivations and feelings, she came across like a checklist of must-have stereotypical traits for the wandering ronin.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, this one lacked feeling. Overall, it’s still a decent read which moved quickly enough, but what it’s missing is that bit of magic dust to bring the world and the characters to life. As a result, I found it hard to feel excited when even the more action-y parts felt dry and uninspired.
At the end of the day, I felt Red Nose was mix of high points and low points. Personally, I loved the concept, though the execution was a bit weak. As always though, your mileage may vary.
April 28, 2021
4 stars! This was a wild ride of a book. With a kick-ass, mysterious female character.
Story takes place on a space station. A station that’s in the middle of a war/stand off between two factions who live and work there. The Miner, our mysterious female lead just so happens to arrive at the wrong time.
Who’s friend? Who’s foe? What’s their agendas? What’s the Miners?
There’s a lot that goes on and is covered within maybe a weeks time. It’s filled of action that packs a punch. I enjoyed it from the start and didn’t want it to end.
I want to talk about so many things but I can’t because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone else. I might not have known what I was expecting with this one, but it without a doubt was a journey!
Recommended for those who don’t mind a bit of blood, because a lot will be spilled. Enjoy.
Story takes place on a space station. A station that’s in the middle of a war/stand off between two factions who live and work there. The Miner, our mysterious female lead just so happens to arrive at the wrong time.
Who’s friend? Who’s foe? What’s their agendas? What’s the Miners?
There’s a lot that goes on and is covered within maybe a weeks time. It’s filled of action that packs a punch. I enjoyed it from the start and didn’t want it to end.
I want to talk about so many things but I can’t because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone else. I might not have known what I was expecting with this one, but it without a doubt was a journey!
Recommended for those who don’t mind a bit of blood, because a lot will be spilled. Enjoy.
April 29, 2020
Red Noise is very good space opera with gang wars and badass main character.
The Miner - our protagonist - decides to dock her ship at station 35 to fuel and make some money. There she finds out that the place is abandoned except three gangs with three heads of power leading them. They fight each other constantly, making a station a living hell.
So she decides to bring them all down.
As a plot is decent, the characters are what keep this book alive. The most interesting is of course our protagonist - The Miner - who we know almost nothing about. She definitely has a rich past. She has a lot of scars that can prove it. She's also intelligent and pretty badass in combat.
But still we don't know almost anything about her. There are scrapes of her story here and there, but nothing solid. And I think that was my main issue with this book, and that's why I give it 4 not 5 stars. The Miner is great, but you can't create such interesting character and tell us that she obviously suffered some loses without giving us a full backstory. I want to know what happened to her and why she became who she is now.
I have no more complaints. This book is well-paced with a good kind of humour we encounter along the way.
4 stars
The Miner - our protagonist - decides to dock her ship at station 35 to fuel and make some money. There she finds out that the place is abandoned except three gangs with three heads of power leading them. They fight each other constantly, making a station a living hell.
So she decides to bring them all down.
As a plot is decent, the characters are what keep this book alive. The most interesting is of course our protagonist - The Miner - who we know almost nothing about. She definitely has a rich past. She has a lot of scars that can prove it. She's also intelligent and pretty badass in combat.
But still we don't know almost anything about her. There are scrapes of her story here and there, but nothing solid. And I think that was my main issue with this book, and that's why I give it 4 not 5 stars. The Miner is great, but you can't create such interesting character and tell us that she obviously suffered some loses without giving us a full backstory. I want to know what happened to her and why she became who she is now.
I have no more complaints. This book is well-paced with a good kind of humour we encounter along the way.
4 stars
July 20, 2020
This and more reviews at superstardrifter.com
This story follows a character only known as the Miner. She mines asteroids for a living (at least, she does now) and has stopped at Station 35 looking to unload her ore and take on some more fuel. What she doesn’t realize is that Station 35 is more or less abandoned, with the exception of 2 street gangs with a security force in the middle keeping them (unsuccessfully) from killing each other. In the midst of a space station gang war, The Miner decides that she’s going to take them all down.
Despite seeing this story from her point of view a lot, we don’t know anything about the Miner going in. Not even her name. This sort of narrative is difficult to get right for me, and indeed a lot of people will likely bounce off this main character, but it worked alright for me this time. She’s clearly got a hell of a past, with quite a bit of combat experience, to say the least. We get some of the details as the book goes on, mostly from the point of view of other people on the station from either gang. But, nonetheless, she remains mostly a mystery wrapped in an enigma.
This book can easily be described as a space western. It brought Borderlands to mind a lot (which is absolutely not a bad thing – Steam can attest to my putting literal months of time into that series, lol). I had visualized most of it in the same style too, just because.
So, all told, this was an entertaining read, and though I didn’t ever end up falling in love with it, I definitely had a pretty enjoyable time. I think I might have enjoyed this one more as an audiobook. Either way, if you enjoyed Borderlands, you may enjoy Red Noise.
Thanks to the author, as well as Angry Robot for the review copy!~
This story follows a character only known as the Miner. She mines asteroids for a living (at least, she does now) and has stopped at Station 35 looking to unload her ore and take on some more fuel. What she doesn’t realize is that Station 35 is more or less abandoned, with the exception of 2 street gangs with a security force in the middle keeping them (unsuccessfully) from killing each other. In the midst of a space station gang war, The Miner decides that she’s going to take them all down.
Despite seeing this story from her point of view a lot, we don’t know anything about the Miner going in. Not even her name. This sort of narrative is difficult to get right for me, and indeed a lot of people will likely bounce off this main character, but it worked alright for me this time. She’s clearly got a hell of a past, with quite a bit of combat experience, to say the least. We get some of the details as the book goes on, mostly from the point of view of other people on the station from either gang. But, nonetheless, she remains mostly a mystery wrapped in an enigma.
This book can easily be described as a space western. It brought Borderlands to mind a lot (which is absolutely not a bad thing – Steam can attest to my putting literal months of time into that series, lol). I had visualized most of it in the same style too, just because.
So, all told, this was an entertaining read, and though I didn’t ever end up falling in love with it, I definitely had a pretty enjoyable time. I think I might have enjoyed this one more as an audiobook. Either way, if you enjoyed Borderlands, you may enjoy Red Noise.
Thanks to the author, as well as Angry Robot for the review copy!~
June 14, 2020
I liked it.
The novel calls on the traditions and tropes of westerns and on those westerns based on Japanese films, and obviously on the original Japanese work. So, the protagonist isn't named, or only briefly, there are rival gangs and corrupt law officers, the place is far from anywhere with no help coming.
'Jane' turns the low level skirmishes into a war, there's a marriage, someone goes a bit barmy and a new big bad arrives, then it's all over as Jane takes out the rubbish.
If you get the aesthetic and understand the tradition it stands in, this is marvelous fun. For those who don't you probably won't like the limited character development and gratuitous violence. I've seen complaints that 'Jane' acts 'too much like a man'. I didn't see that myself. She's a flower growing, ex-military intelligence miner with a grudge and a haunted past, what do you expect? She isn't going to be a wallflower, are women not allowed to be anti-heroes? Her character arc and that of Screwball do, in fact, develop over the novel and they follow in the tradition of the aforementioned spaghetti westerns. 'Jane' becomes less misanthropic and admits to herself that, yes she was pissed about being ripped off but she did want to help the people stuck on the Station to free themselves.
The pace is fast and choppy, alternating between Jane and Screwball as events happen. It fits perfectly with the genre. The characterisation of these and other characters really fits with the genre too. The author has clearly read and seen a lot of these works, including the Japanese originals.
Highly recommended.
The novel calls on the traditions and tropes of westerns and on those westerns based on Japanese films, and obviously on the original Japanese work. So, the protagonist isn't named, or only briefly, there are rival gangs and corrupt law officers, the place is far from anywhere with no help coming.
'Jane' turns the low level skirmishes into a war, there's a marriage, someone goes a bit barmy and a new big bad arrives, then it's all over as Jane takes out the rubbish.
If you get the aesthetic and understand the tradition it stands in, this is marvelous fun. For those who don't you probably won't like the limited character development and gratuitous violence. I've seen complaints that 'Jane' acts 'too much like a man'. I didn't see that myself. She's a flower growing, ex-military intelligence miner with a grudge and a haunted past, what do you expect? She isn't going to be a wallflower, are women not allowed to be anti-heroes? Her character arc and that of Screwball do, in fact, develop over the novel and they follow in the tradition of the aforementioned spaghetti westerns. 'Jane' becomes less misanthropic and admits to herself that, yes she was pissed about being ripped off but she did want to help the people stuck on the Station to free themselves.
The pace is fast and choppy, alternating between Jane and Screwball as events happen. It fits perfectly with the genre. The characterisation of these and other characters really fits with the genre too. The author has clearly read and seen a lot of these works, including the Japanese originals.
Highly recommended.
April 9, 2020
Space Yojimbo? Yes. I’d like that very much please. 🤩
July 2, 2020
4 / 5 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Bebop meets Borderlands in Red Noise, where the stylized samurai western former combines with the casual and often dark humored killing of the latter to create something in between. The story definitely has a dark twist, which becomes more evident the further you read. But read further still, and you’ll find that it also has heart.
Station 35 looms out of the darkness. The Miner came to sell her ore, fill up on food, water and air, and get back to her claim. Though initially warned off docking by another trader, she has little choice but to do so when her ship runs out of fuel. And once on the station, it’s going to be hard getting off.
Throughout the text, the Miner often goes simply by her moniker. Otherwise, she is referred to as Jane or Mick, for reasons that’ll become clear when you read it. We do eventually learn her name, her real name, but that really doesn’t mean anything. Yet. Maybe not ever.
Fresh off the boat, the Miner is thrown in the deep end, as both gangs come out to woo her to their cause. She stiffs them both, preferring just to sell her ore and leave. But the station isn’t done with her just yet, and the stationmaster makes this abundantly clear. After shortchanging her on ore and tripling the price of fuel, she’s pretty much stranded.
But the Miner’s not the type to be tied down. So she hangs out with Kenshi Takata—the resident station good-guy and restauranteur (you know the one)—and the former station master turned drunk, Herrera. Where she watches, and waits.
On one side, John Feeney hunkers in the hotel. Once the gangland kingpin of Station 35, Fennel survived a coup in the aftermath of his grandson implanting a nuke in his chest. Mary, Feeney’s granddaughter remains his only family, but rarely agrees with her grandfather’s methods. His crew is the bigger of the two, but more of a rabble. On the opposite side, Angelica del Rios lounges in the casino. Once a hangout for Mr Shine—we’ll get to him—she and her brother Raj took it over after their fallout with Feeney. Though smaller than Feeney’s crew, they’re better armed, better trained. In the middle, there’s the police chief, Tom McMasters. Corrupt to the core, he has fingers in both pockets. His security personnel keep the peace—enough. An all-out gang war is bad for business, but so is a hard peace. So they keep it somewhere in the middle, while McMasters turns a profit. Down below is Mr Shine. Once and always respected, he’s been driven into the station’s underbelly with a ragtag band of dishwashers, butchers, craftsmen, and various commonfolk, of unknown strength and number.
Eventually, each gang comes to woo her in turn. And when it becomes clear her sword isn’t just for show, the competition for her services intensifies. But while working for one side may pay well enough for her to escape, it’s not ultimately satisfying. So the Miner decides to play them against one another. Now all she has to do is survive to see her plan to fruition.
———————
While it’s not a polished gem, I’d say Red Noise is a diamond in the rough. Okay, maybe not a diamond. More of an uncut… Coltan. Dull, black, but with a bit of a metallic sheen. Which I think adequately describes the book. Dark, but harboring a golden finish.
When I was gearing up for Red Noise, I heard quite a bit about it. There was a lot of contention, mostly about the Miner herself—her femininity, her emotional depth, more. As expected, now that I’ve read it, I’ve some thoughts on the matter.
I’ve seen a fair number of reviews stating that the Miner acts like a man, or isn’t that she wasn’t “feminine” or “unique” enough to be a woman. To be perfectly honest, not only do I not agree with this, I’m not even sure what it means (seriously, “unique”?). There’s no set amount of femininity required for a woman to be a woman. Some women are more “feminine” than others. One reviewer stated that she “couldn’t tell you how many times the female ‘rubbed her chin’”. Now I was watching out for this, and I counted. Three. It happened three times. But that’s not even the important part. The thing is, who says it’s a male attribute to rub their chin. I’m a guy, and I don’t think I’ve ever rubbed my chin. I’ll scratch it occasionally when I grow out my beard, but not rub it. The Miner does scratch and rub various other parts of her body, but this can be explained away by any number of reasons. Maybe being alone for so long lowered her inhibitions about certain “etiquette”. Maybe it’s the lack of bathing. Or maybe it’s the scars. The Miner has a lot of scars. And let me tell you, scars can get itchy, especially if they’re accompanied by an unpleasant memory.
The next is the Miner’s emotional depth. She does often feel cold, emotionless, distant. But some people are just like this. Later in the story, she will open up a bit and show more sensitivity, more vulnerability, but early on she can come across a bit cold. I’m leaning towards this being the author’s intention, rather than bad writing, but I can definitely understand how this could drive some readers away. Not everyone likes a ronin with a heart of stone. Sometimes you like the lead to emote, to think, to FEEL—and that’s okay. Red Noise has this, but you have to read into it a ways, and even then it’s more subtle than many other texts. Screwball—your secondary lead—for his part, is more emotional and sensitive, though he more often comes across as whiny, at least early on.
I’m not sure exactly what to say about the novel’s characters. There’s a main cast, and then everyone else. Some of them have names in the way that disposable characters do—but little in the way of backstories. The main cast is much better. They have more depth, more history, more development—just don’t expect them to exhibit it all up front. Like everything else in Red Noise, you have to dig in for it. Now it’s good that this book had a legitimate, dedicated cast, but their depth gave them away. It’s like this: there’re a bunch of people walking around, some we come to recognize, others just a name and a face—who do you think is going to die? Because it’s a bloody book—someone’s going to die. Just don’t expect any of the lifers to go early on. This isn’t GoT. Also there’s not a ton of character development, even from the lifers. Instead… I’d call it more character “progression”. It’s not a constant. They can change over time, but I wouldn’t say many of them evolve. Their motives, their demeanors might change, but there’s little enough in the way of behavior or thought. There is some, just not much.
I thoroughly enjoyed the setting. Station 35 reminds me of Blue Heaven from Outlaw Star (another anime, manga—google it), with warrens and gangs and a “strict” no-gun policy. An old, ruined military outpost where its citizens eke out their lives, however fruitless they may’ve become. Hope mired within hopelessness. It definitely has a brooding feel, like the streets of a plague-infested ruin in the dead of night. The only stretch of civilization between Stations 34 and 36, it constantly reminds you that there’s no escape—and no help coming.
The plot itself isn’t terribly inventive. It’s built on revenge, betrayal, distrust, greed, even hope. But it’s fairly simple, and a bit clichéd. The were no mysteries to solve, no conspiracies to unravel—despite how much the story tries to tell you that there are. I found it to be a straightforward tale. Yes, there are some twists and turns, a few unexpected occurrences, but nothing groundbreaking. Red Noise sets out to tell a bloody tale of greed and deceit and chaos, and does just that. It’s enjoyable, just not overly complex.
TL;DR
Red Noise is Bebop meets Borderlands—a science fiction samurai western with a bloody, but carefree finish. It’s like a chunk of uncut Coltan—mostly dull and dark, but with a slightly golden finish. It reminded me most of a 90’s anime, which made my read-through of it as enjoyable as it was nostalgic. There’s a lot of contention surrounding this book—specifically with the Miner and her mannerisms—which I’d advice are best ignored. Everyone is going to make something of it, and no one’s going to agree completely with anyone else’s interpretation. But the same can be said of anything—Red Noise just seems to bring it out more. Still, the book isn’t for everyone. It’s dark, it’s bloody, it’s chaotic. “Organized chaos”, I would call it. The Miner’s really an anti-hero, and there’s not a lot of love to go around. Those who idealize women may not like it, nor may those that like to know all their characters’ thoughts and emotions. Red Noise tells a blunt tale, but also a subtle one. On the surface there’s nothing but blood and death and deceit, yet read on and dig down and you will find a layer of gold beneath it.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Bebop meets Borderlands in Red Noise, where the stylized samurai western former combines with the casual and often dark humored killing of the latter to create something in between. The story definitely has a dark twist, which becomes more evident the further you read. But read further still, and you’ll find that it also has heart.
Station 35 looms out of the darkness. The Miner came to sell her ore, fill up on food, water and air, and get back to her claim. Though initially warned off docking by another trader, she has little choice but to do so when her ship runs out of fuel. And once on the station, it’s going to be hard getting off.
Throughout the text, the Miner often goes simply by her moniker. Otherwise, she is referred to as Jane or Mick, for reasons that’ll become clear when you read it. We do eventually learn her name, her real name, but that really doesn’t mean anything. Yet. Maybe not ever.
Fresh off the boat, the Miner is thrown in the deep end, as both gangs come out to woo her to their cause. She stiffs them both, preferring just to sell her ore and leave. But the station isn’t done with her just yet, and the stationmaster makes this abundantly clear. After shortchanging her on ore and tripling the price of fuel, she’s pretty much stranded.
But the Miner’s not the type to be tied down. So she hangs out with Kenshi Takata—the resident station good-guy and restauranteur (you know the one)—and the former station master turned drunk, Herrera. Where she watches, and waits.
On one side, John Feeney hunkers in the hotel. Once the gangland kingpin of Station 35, Fennel survived a coup in the aftermath of his grandson implanting a nuke in his chest. Mary, Feeney’s granddaughter remains his only family, but rarely agrees with her grandfather’s methods. His crew is the bigger of the two, but more of a rabble. On the opposite side, Angelica del Rios lounges in the casino. Once a hangout for Mr Shine—we’ll get to him—she and her brother Raj took it over after their fallout with Feeney. Though smaller than Feeney’s crew, they’re better armed, better trained. In the middle, there’s the police chief, Tom McMasters. Corrupt to the core, he has fingers in both pockets. His security personnel keep the peace—enough. An all-out gang war is bad for business, but so is a hard peace. So they keep it somewhere in the middle, while McMasters turns a profit. Down below is Mr Shine. Once and always respected, he’s been driven into the station’s underbelly with a ragtag band of dishwashers, butchers, craftsmen, and various commonfolk, of unknown strength and number.
Eventually, each gang comes to woo her in turn. And when it becomes clear her sword isn’t just for show, the competition for her services intensifies. But while working for one side may pay well enough for her to escape, it’s not ultimately satisfying. So the Miner decides to play them against one another. Now all she has to do is survive to see her plan to fruition.
———————
While it’s not a polished gem, I’d say Red Noise is a diamond in the rough. Okay, maybe not a diamond. More of an uncut… Coltan. Dull, black, but with a bit of a metallic sheen. Which I think adequately describes the book. Dark, but harboring a golden finish.
When I was gearing up for Red Noise, I heard quite a bit about it. There was a lot of contention, mostly about the Miner herself—her femininity, her emotional depth, more. As expected, now that I’ve read it, I’ve some thoughts on the matter.
I’ve seen a fair number of reviews stating that the Miner acts like a man, or isn’t that she wasn’t “feminine” or “unique” enough to be a woman. To be perfectly honest, not only do I not agree with this, I’m not even sure what it means (seriously, “unique”?). There’s no set amount of femininity required for a woman to be a woman. Some women are more “feminine” than others. One reviewer stated that she “couldn’t tell you how many times the female ‘rubbed her chin’”. Now I was watching out for this, and I counted. Three. It happened three times. But that’s not even the important part. The thing is, who says it’s a male attribute to rub their chin. I’m a guy, and I don’t think I’ve ever rubbed my chin. I’ll scratch it occasionally when I grow out my beard, but not rub it. The Miner does scratch and rub various other parts of her body, but this can be explained away by any number of reasons. Maybe being alone for so long lowered her inhibitions about certain “etiquette”. Maybe it’s the lack of bathing. Or maybe it’s the scars. The Miner has a lot of scars. And let me tell you, scars can get itchy, especially if they’re accompanied by an unpleasant memory.
The next is the Miner’s emotional depth. She does often feel cold, emotionless, distant. But some people are just like this. Later in the story, she will open up a bit and show more sensitivity, more vulnerability, but early on she can come across a bit cold. I’m leaning towards this being the author’s intention, rather than bad writing, but I can definitely understand how this could drive some readers away. Not everyone likes a ronin with a heart of stone. Sometimes you like the lead to emote, to think, to FEEL—and that’s okay. Red Noise has this, but you have to read into it a ways, and even then it’s more subtle than many other texts. Screwball—your secondary lead—for his part, is more emotional and sensitive, though he more often comes across as whiny, at least early on.
I’m not sure exactly what to say about the novel’s characters. There’s a main cast, and then everyone else. Some of them have names in the way that disposable characters do—but little in the way of backstories. The main cast is much better. They have more depth, more history, more development—just don’t expect them to exhibit it all up front. Like everything else in Red Noise, you have to dig in for it. Now it’s good that this book had a legitimate, dedicated cast, but their depth gave them away. It’s like this: there’re a bunch of people walking around, some we come to recognize, others just a name and a face—who do you think is going to die? Because it’s a bloody book—someone’s going to die. Just don’t expect any of the lifers to go early on. This isn’t GoT. Also there’s not a ton of character development, even from the lifers. Instead… I’d call it more character “progression”. It’s not a constant. They can change over time, but I wouldn’t say many of them evolve. Their motives, their demeanors might change, but there’s little enough in the way of behavior or thought. There is some, just not much.
I thoroughly enjoyed the setting. Station 35 reminds me of Blue Heaven from Outlaw Star (another anime, manga—google it), with warrens and gangs and a “strict” no-gun policy. An old, ruined military outpost where its citizens eke out their lives, however fruitless they may’ve become. Hope mired within hopelessness. It definitely has a brooding feel, like the streets of a plague-infested ruin in the dead of night. The only stretch of civilization between Stations 34 and 36, it constantly reminds you that there’s no escape—and no help coming.
The plot itself isn’t terribly inventive. It’s built on revenge, betrayal, distrust, greed, even hope. But it’s fairly simple, and a bit clichéd. The were no mysteries to solve, no conspiracies to unravel—despite how much the story tries to tell you that there are. I found it to be a straightforward tale. Yes, there are some twists and turns, a few unexpected occurrences, but nothing groundbreaking. Red Noise sets out to tell a bloody tale of greed and deceit and chaos, and does just that. It’s enjoyable, just not overly complex.
TL;DR
Red Noise is Bebop meets Borderlands—a science fiction samurai western with a bloody, but carefree finish. It’s like a chunk of uncut Coltan—mostly dull and dark, but with a slightly golden finish. It reminded me most of a 90’s anime, which made my read-through of it as enjoyable as it was nostalgic. There’s a lot of contention surrounding this book—specifically with the Miner and her mannerisms—which I’d advice are best ignored. Everyone is going to make something of it, and no one’s going to agree completely with anyone else’s interpretation. But the same can be said of anything—Red Noise just seems to bring it out more. Still, the book isn’t for everyone. It’s dark, it’s bloody, it’s chaotic. “Organized chaos”, I would call it. The Miner’s really an anti-hero, and there’s not a lot of love to go around. Those who idealize women may not like it, nor may those that like to know all their characters’ thoughts and emotions. Red Noise tells a blunt tale, but also a subtle one. On the surface there’s nothing but blood and death and deceit, yet read on and dig down and you will find a layer of gold beneath it.
May 1, 2020
This book had so many interesting things going for it:
- female
- space
- feeling of a western
However, I began to notice something... something that was a little ... odd.
While the story was quick, without much detail and lingering things, it lacked 'feeling'. It was rather cold or emotionless. It followed the path of something like the 'mysterious man' and 'Magnificent 7'. Clean up an old spaceport. Turn the gangs against one another, take 'em all out.
I began to notice... this female acted a lot like a male. I then started to play a game:s flip the 'she' bits to a 'he'.... low and behold, there was nothing really 'feminine' or 'unique' about our hero. I can't tell you how many times the female 'rubbed her chin'. I mean, I've read stories with women with male-attributes or things stereotypical male... but man, this was one of those that really let me down.
A pass for me, unfortunately.
- female
- space
- feeling of a western
However, I began to notice something... something that was a little ... odd.
While the story was quick, without much detail and lingering things, it lacked 'feeling'. It was rather cold or emotionless. It followed the path of something like the 'mysterious man' and 'Magnificent 7'. Clean up an old spaceport. Turn the gangs against one another, take 'em all out.
I began to notice... this female acted a lot like a male. I then started to play a game:s flip the 'she' bits to a 'he'.... low and behold, there was nothing really 'feminine' or 'unique' about our hero. I can't tell you how many times the female 'rubbed her chin'. I mean, I've read stories with women with male-attributes or things stereotypical male... but man, this was one of those that really let me down.
A pass for me, unfortunately.
March 12, 2021
Red Noise is a workman-like adaptation of the classics that could use a little more ambition. The Miner, our nameless antihero, is back from six months filling her ship with asteroid ore, and is arriving at Station 35 for fuel, food, and a dreaded confrontation with humanity.
It turns out Station 35 is more of a shithole than most places. The Company has almost entirely pulled out, and the only going concern is a war between two gangs, overseen by the corrupt and uncaring security staff. When she's nickeled and dimed into the red, the Miner has no choice but to clean up the station by killing them all. Fortunately she's an ex-special forces badass with cybernetic implants and a katana.
So, the basic plot is Yojimbo in space, livened up by the perspective of Screwball, a low level soldier in this war. The story unfolds in expository info dumps between stabbings, as we see how the criminal community of 35 descended into war. It's pretty good, but it lacks that ineffable quality to make it great. I'd like to have seen it lean more heavily into scifi weirdness, with a war between technofanactics from Schismatrix or Revelation Space rather than gangsters, or deeper into Coen Brothers style dark farce, with the dumb desires of the cast driving the action. But hey, it's a decent way to spend a few days.
It turns out Station 35 is more of a shithole than most places. The Company has almost entirely pulled out, and the only going concern is a war between two gangs, overseen by the corrupt and uncaring security staff. When she's nickeled and dimed into the red, the Miner has no choice but to clean up the station by killing them all. Fortunately she's an ex-special forces badass with cybernetic implants and a katana.
So, the basic plot is Yojimbo in space, livened up by the perspective of Screwball, a low level soldier in this war. The story unfolds in expository info dumps between stabbings, as we see how the criminal community of 35 descended into war. It's pretty good, but it lacks that ineffable quality to make it great. I'd like to have seen it lean more heavily into scifi weirdness, with a war between technofanactics from Schismatrix or Revelation Space rather than gangsters, or deeper into Coen Brothers style dark farce, with the dumb desires of the cast driving the action. But hey, it's a decent way to spend a few days.
October 20, 2020
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Hmmmm. Well – they can’t all be winners lol. I had some high expectations going into this one. The synopsis sounded amazing, AND it was nominated for a Nebula award so…. promising, right? Sadly, this was a case of the execution not meeting my expectations.
But before I go off on my negative vent (it’s happening folks), let me start off with some positives, because this book was not ALL bad. When I was considering how I would rate this book, I flopped back and forth between 2.5 and 3 stars. Ultimately, I settled on 3 stars for two reasons. 1 – Even though I had quite a few problems with this book, I really did enjoy myself while I was reading it! 2 – I really enjoyed our main character “the miner”…… yes, that’s how she’s referred to in the book. She had a crazy past and wished to basically remain nameless. But, when pushed to give a name, she gave the name Jane.
The story opens with “the miner” in her ship with a ton of resources. Having just mined tons of minerals (hence, the name, the miner), she’s travelling to a station to offload her haul, stock up on provisions, and get fuel to move to her next destination. As she pulled up to station 35 she realized that it looked abandoned and she was warned off by a fellow miner that it’s not the best place to stop and they’re all assholes. She didn’t have any other choice as her fuel levels were now 1%…. so it was there or death. When she stopped, she got exactly what she was expecting – screwed. They offered her only a small portion of what her haul was worth. After provisions and fuel, she was left in the red and no way to get to her next destination.
It was clear early on that she had a difficult past. She was tough, fearless, and scarred – literally. And it was also clear immediately that station 35 was a place of unrest. She caught wind that there was a “turf war” of sorts where a lot of people died recently and there still hadn’t been a solution as to who was in power of the station. This person ruled this area, this person ruled the other area, and there were all walking a thin line at the moment, trying to stay out of everyones way and prevent a war they all knew was around the corner. So enters “Jane” – a girl who isn’t afraid to kick some ass and kill, and can be paid off to take the side of the highest bidder. She enters into this turf war only because she needs the money and isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.
This book was a lot of fun and I loved the humour and the characters. There was so much bad-assery, fighting, and fearless shots of middle fingers in the air! All the while we’re on a space station in the middle of nowhere. Sounds like it’s right up my alley, right? Nope….. here we go….
I love me a good turf war! There’s always a grey area as the balance of power tips from one side to the next. There’s usually a backstabber who is undyingly loyal to one side but then turns out to be sticking it to the man from the other side. There’s fighting and killing as people are found out along the way…… but wow. This book dropped the ball on the actual plot of it all!! The main character was hired to kill basically. One side of this war had hired her to take out the other side while maintaining that they were keeping their own hands dirty. I’m all about a bad ass woman taking on men double her size in a smart way. But I need to know WHY. Why is she killing this person? What was his role in the unrest? Was he their hired muscle? Was he a traitor? And if he was a traitor then what did he do, how, and how did you find out? Literally any one of those questions could have been answered in the simplest of ways but it NEVER happened. I spent so much of this book confused as hell. Even a simple conversation between our main character and the others laying out why this person died would have been fine! I don’t care if you tell me before or after the death, but just tell me! There was so much time and effort put into these fighting scenes (which were well written, I’ll give it that) but there was zero effort put into the plot. The plot holes throughout this book were as big as a black hole folks. Or maybe I missed something? I can’t be bothered to reread it to find out.
Another thing that was lacking – character development. Ok maybe it was the intention to keep the identity and story of the miner as a mystery…… but that doesn’t work for me. I get it – you’re creating mystery to the character…… but I need to know at least something about her past! You can’t keep laying out that she’s got all these scars, all this training in combat, blah, blah, blah, and then give me nothing in the end. Just hinting at things and repeating over and over that she’s got this dark past doesn’t tell me anything. It just reminds me that there’s a whole story about her and you’re not telling me….. not cool.
As I say this last part, I need to make something clear, so stick with me….. this book was clearly written BY a man and FOR men. Not that that’s a bad thing! If you look at my all time favourite books, over 50% are written by men. If you look at books that made me cry like a little baby, over 50% were written by men. My sense of humour always tips the scale towards male humour. But this….. this was too much. All the characters were men. Not literally though. There were female characters but there was nothing that differentiated them as such. There was SO much detail put into the fighting scenes and nothing put into the plot. I just didn’t get it……..
After writing this, I’m now back to wanting to rate it 2.5 stars. There was just so much of this that I didn’t get or didn’t like. But, like I said in the beginning, I did have some fun while reading it! I’m going to throw this out there though – Nebula finalist?? Really? Nah……. sorry, not sorry.
Hmmmm. Well – they can’t all be winners lol. I had some high expectations going into this one. The synopsis sounded amazing, AND it was nominated for a Nebula award so…. promising, right? Sadly, this was a case of the execution not meeting my expectations.
But before I go off on my negative vent (it’s happening folks), let me start off with some positives, because this book was not ALL bad. When I was considering how I would rate this book, I flopped back and forth between 2.5 and 3 stars. Ultimately, I settled on 3 stars for two reasons. 1 – Even though I had quite a few problems with this book, I really did enjoy myself while I was reading it! 2 – I really enjoyed our main character “the miner”…… yes, that’s how she’s referred to in the book. She had a crazy past and wished to basically remain nameless. But, when pushed to give a name, she gave the name Jane.
The story opens with “the miner” in her ship with a ton of resources. Having just mined tons of minerals (hence, the name, the miner), she’s travelling to a station to offload her haul, stock up on provisions, and get fuel to move to her next destination. As she pulled up to station 35 she realized that it looked abandoned and she was warned off by a fellow miner that it’s not the best place to stop and they’re all assholes. She didn’t have any other choice as her fuel levels were now 1%…. so it was there or death. When she stopped, she got exactly what she was expecting – screwed. They offered her only a small portion of what her haul was worth. After provisions and fuel, she was left in the red and no way to get to her next destination.
It was clear early on that she had a difficult past. She was tough, fearless, and scarred – literally. And it was also clear immediately that station 35 was a place of unrest. She caught wind that there was a “turf war” of sorts where a lot of people died recently and there still hadn’t been a solution as to who was in power of the station. This person ruled this area, this person ruled the other area, and there were all walking a thin line at the moment, trying to stay out of everyones way and prevent a war they all knew was around the corner. So enters “Jane” – a girl who isn’t afraid to kick some ass and kill, and can be paid off to take the side of the highest bidder. She enters into this turf war only because she needs the money and isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.
This book was a lot of fun and I loved the humour and the characters. There was so much bad-assery, fighting, and fearless shots of middle fingers in the air! All the while we’re on a space station in the middle of nowhere. Sounds like it’s right up my alley, right? Nope….. here we go….
I love me a good turf war! There’s always a grey area as the balance of power tips from one side to the next. There’s usually a backstabber who is undyingly loyal to one side but then turns out to be sticking it to the man from the other side. There’s fighting and killing as people are found out along the way…… but wow. This book dropped the ball on the actual plot of it all!! The main character was hired to kill basically. One side of this war had hired her to take out the other side while maintaining that they were keeping their own hands dirty. I’m all about a bad ass woman taking on men double her size in a smart way. But I need to know WHY. Why is she killing this person? What was his role in the unrest? Was he their hired muscle? Was he a traitor? And if he was a traitor then what did he do, how, and how did you find out? Literally any one of those questions could have been answered in the simplest of ways but it NEVER happened. I spent so much of this book confused as hell. Even a simple conversation between our main character and the others laying out why this person died would have been fine! I don’t care if you tell me before or after the death, but just tell me! There was so much time and effort put into these fighting scenes (which were well written, I’ll give it that) but there was zero effort put into the plot. The plot holes throughout this book were as big as a black hole folks. Or maybe I missed something? I can’t be bothered to reread it to find out.
Another thing that was lacking – character development. Ok maybe it was the intention to keep the identity and story of the miner as a mystery…… but that doesn’t work for me. I get it – you’re creating mystery to the character…… but I need to know at least something about her past! You can’t keep laying out that she’s got all these scars, all this training in combat, blah, blah, blah, and then give me nothing in the end. Just hinting at things and repeating over and over that she’s got this dark past doesn’t tell me anything. It just reminds me that there’s a whole story about her and you’re not telling me….. not cool.
As I say this last part, I need to make something clear, so stick with me….. this book was clearly written BY a man and FOR men. Not that that’s a bad thing! If you look at my all time favourite books, over 50% are written by men. If you look at books that made me cry like a little baby, over 50% were written by men. My sense of humour always tips the scale towards male humour. But this….. this was too much. All the characters were men. Not literally though. There were female characters but there was nothing that differentiated them as such. There was SO much detail put into the fighting scenes and nothing put into the plot. I just didn’t get it……..
After writing this, I’m now back to wanting to rate it 2.5 stars. There was just so much of this that I didn’t get or didn’t like. But, like I said in the beginning, I did have some fun while reading it! I’m going to throw this out there though – Nebula finalist?? Really? Nah……. sorry, not sorry.
April 30, 2020
This story kept me guessing the whole way. The characters were loosely defined and slowly developed over the week or so that takes place in the book. The explosive situation and how the characters deal with all the building tension is what really made.the story. While the majority of the characters aren't something to write home about, there are tons of aspects present here that were memorable and fun. The wasteland environment of the space station and the goons that populate it were a refreshing take from the regular sci-fi criminal scum. I'd recommend the heck out of this to anyone wanting a fun story with plenty of twists.
August 26, 2020
3.5 stars
Red Noise by John P. Murphy has been described as an Akira Kurosawa and spaghetti western-inspired sci-fi romp. Having only a passing familiarity with either of those, I was hoping for some epic Kill Bill-in-space vibes, and I'm pleased to report that’s exactly what I got.
Once military special ops, The Miner now pursues a life of peace, mining remote asteroids and tending to her beloved collection of bonsais and orchids. After four months of blissful solitude, she finds herself low on supplies and is forced to dock at the remote Station 35.
Intending to stock up and move on, The Miner finds herself stranded stationside after a corrupt dockmaster slaps her with bogus fees and buys her metal ore for a fraction of its worth. Greeted by armed thugs, she finds the facility near-abandoned and in the middle of a gang war. With the Head of Security bribed to turn a blind eye, The Miner is forced to take matters into her own capable hands.
Red Noise isn’t the type of book you read for deep-space exploration, intricate politics, or an in-depth character study. Red Noise is the kind of book you pick up to indulge in stylised violence and say to the oblivious person next to you 'that gangster has it coming', then fail to suppress your sadistic glee when That Gangster gets his face chopped off with a sword. In short, it's non-stop action.
While The Miner’s shady past remains more or less a mystery, watching her take charge and mess with the station's incompetents is fantastically fun. A slowly escalating conflict and plenty of twists make this an exciting read.
Full review on jakeisreading.com
Red Noise by John P. Murphy has been described as an Akira Kurosawa and spaghetti western-inspired sci-fi romp. Having only a passing familiarity with either of those, I was hoping for some epic Kill Bill-in-space vibes, and I'm pleased to report that’s exactly what I got.
Once military special ops, The Miner now pursues a life of peace, mining remote asteroids and tending to her beloved collection of bonsais and orchids. After four months of blissful solitude, she finds herself low on supplies and is forced to dock at the remote Station 35.
Intending to stock up and move on, The Miner finds herself stranded stationside after a corrupt dockmaster slaps her with bogus fees and buys her metal ore for a fraction of its worth. Greeted by armed thugs, she finds the facility near-abandoned and in the middle of a gang war. With the Head of Security bribed to turn a blind eye, The Miner is forced to take matters into her own capable hands.
Red Noise isn’t the type of book you read for deep-space exploration, intricate politics, or an in-depth character study. Red Noise is the kind of book you pick up to indulge in stylised violence and say to the oblivious person next to you 'that gangster has it coming', then fail to suppress your sadistic glee when That Gangster gets his face chopped off with a sword. In short, it's non-stop action.
While The Miner’s shady past remains more or less a mystery, watching her take charge and mess with the station's incompetents is fantastically fun. A slowly escalating conflict and plenty of twists make this an exciting read.
Full review on jakeisreading.com
June 17, 2020
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
Something struck me as familiar about this novel when I was reading but I didn’t pick up on it until almost the end: it’s definitely paying homage to Japanese samurai films (like Kurosawa) and American Westerns. I’m not a buff of the genre, but I’m definitely a fan of the aesthetic and the style.
I really wish dumbass me hadn’t been so sleep-deprived from having a newborn (and a toddler) or I definitely would have picked up on it sooner! I kind of want to go back and re-read it to look for things I missed. I’m deadass flummoxed at how I didn't pick up on it right away. Hell, even the cover looks like a minimalist Seven Samurai poster.
Enough of my excuses. Like those films, the novel starts off with the mysterious stranger entering a corrupt town; in this case, the town is a near-abandoned and sparsely-populated space station. There are three leaders vying for control (including the cops, with a moustachioed "sheriff"), though none are ideal rulers. The Miner decides to lend her particular brand of assistance. With a sword.
Unfortunately, what I didn’t really get was why. In Western movies, the character is a trope, but this novel (while I was completely addicted to it), suffers a bit with regards to the miner’s motivation. We don’t learn enough about her to understand why she wouldn’t just leave. It never felt to me like she was trapped (by money or other reasons), as she always seemed to have an answer or the ability to escape whatever situation she found herself in. There were attempts to have her wrestle with leaving, but there wasn’t enough of that or it didn’t go deep enough. I get that in the movies the character doesn’t need such a rationale, but from a book I expected a bit more.
At the same time, I really liked how we don’t learn that much about her - just little tidbits here and there - it keeps her mysterious.
I loved the dialogue, the diversity, the general degraded ambience of the station, and how no one was sacred in terms of violence bestowed upon them. Yet the three leaders, and Mary and Raj, needed more background; I found I didn’t care much about them as people, though they were fun to read about.
The book is an absolute blast. I loved the amount of women in the novel and the dark humour (I laughed out loud quite a few times). The dynamic between the bartender and his regular (another Western trope - the saloon!) was so much fun, as were the action scenes.
You don’t need to know/like Westerns (or can be sleep-deprived like me), and this is still a fun, gritty, action-packed adventure that just so happens to be set in space.
Something struck me as familiar about this novel when I was reading but I didn’t pick up on it until almost the end: it’s definitely paying homage to Japanese samurai films (like Kurosawa) and American Westerns. I’m not a buff of the genre, but I’m definitely a fan of the aesthetic and the style.
I really wish dumbass me hadn’t been so sleep-deprived from having a newborn (and a toddler) or I definitely would have picked up on it sooner! I kind of want to go back and re-read it to look for things I missed. I’m deadass flummoxed at how I didn't pick up on it right away. Hell, even the cover looks like a minimalist Seven Samurai poster.
Enough of my excuses. Like those films, the novel starts off with the mysterious stranger entering a corrupt town; in this case, the town is a near-abandoned and sparsely-populated space station. There are three leaders vying for control (including the cops, with a moustachioed "sheriff"), though none are ideal rulers. The Miner decides to lend her particular brand of assistance. With a sword.
Unfortunately, what I didn’t really get was why. In Western movies, the character is a trope, but this novel (while I was completely addicted to it), suffers a bit with regards to the miner’s motivation. We don’t learn enough about her to understand why she wouldn’t just leave. It never felt to me like she was trapped (by money or other reasons), as she always seemed to have an answer or the ability to escape whatever situation she found herself in. There were attempts to have her wrestle with leaving, but there wasn’t enough of that or it didn’t go deep enough. I get that in the movies the character doesn’t need such a rationale, but from a book I expected a bit more.
At the same time, I really liked how we don’t learn that much about her - just little tidbits here and there - it keeps her mysterious.
I loved the dialogue, the diversity, the general degraded ambience of the station, and how no one was sacred in terms of violence bestowed upon them. Yet the three leaders, and Mary and Raj, needed more background; I found I didn’t care much about them as people, though they were fun to read about.
The book is an absolute blast. I loved the amount of women in the novel and the dark humour (I laughed out loud quite a few times). The dynamic between the bartender and his regular (another Western trope - the saloon!) was so much fun, as were the action scenes.
You don’t need to know/like Westerns (or can be sleep-deprived like me), and this is still a fun, gritty, action-packed adventure that just so happens to be set in space.
December 27, 2020
*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and Angry Robot*
2.5 stars
The Miner isn't looking for trouble when she arrives at Station 35 wanting to sell ore, but that's what she finds.
Station 35 is occupied by two rival gangs fighting over control of the space station, while the corrupt law enforcement takes money from both sides.
The Miner decides to take things into her own hands, but might soon wish that she hadn't.
The concept of the book really intrigued me and I went into it ready for some gripping action. However, I ended up disappointed.
The Miner was an intriguing protagonist. Her backstory was interesting, but I didn't feel that I really connected with her or that she was fleshed out enough. I liked the relationships she formed with some of the other characters as well as seeing how the Miner dealt/coped with different situations.
The plot took a while to get going and the pacing was too slow for me, but I understand that the author needed to set things up before getting to the action, which there wasn't as much of as I was expecting. There were a couple of things that happened that I didn't see coming, but overall I found the plot a bit lacklustre, despite a few engaging action scenes.
The writing style was one where I had to take my time reading every sentence, as opposed to one where I could fly through the pages. Because of this and the slow pacing, it did feel like it took me a very long time to finish the book.
I did enjoy the book to begin with, but after a while, when things didn't pick up, I found myself enjoying it less and less as it went on. However, I kept on reading in the hope that I would get back into what was happening, which I didn't.
I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, and, unfortunately, this is a case where the execution of the book fell short for me, despite the promising premise.
Overall, this was an okay but disappointing read.
2.5 stars
The Miner isn't looking for trouble when she arrives at Station 35 wanting to sell ore, but that's what she finds.
Station 35 is occupied by two rival gangs fighting over control of the space station, while the corrupt law enforcement takes money from both sides.
The Miner decides to take things into her own hands, but might soon wish that she hadn't.
The concept of the book really intrigued me and I went into it ready for some gripping action. However, I ended up disappointed.
The Miner was an intriguing protagonist. Her backstory was interesting, but I didn't feel that I really connected with her or that she was fleshed out enough. I liked the relationships she formed with some of the other characters as well as seeing how the Miner dealt/coped with different situations.
The plot took a while to get going and the pacing was too slow for me, but I understand that the author needed to set things up before getting to the action, which there wasn't as much of as I was expecting. There were a couple of things that happened that I didn't see coming, but overall I found the plot a bit lacklustre, despite a few engaging action scenes.
The writing style was one where I had to take my time reading every sentence, as opposed to one where I could fly through the pages. Because of this and the slow pacing, it did feel like it took me a very long time to finish the book.
I did enjoy the book to begin with, but after a while, when things didn't pick up, I found myself enjoying it less and less as it went on. However, I kept on reading in the hope that I would get back into what was happening, which I didn't.
I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, and, unfortunately, this is a case where the execution of the book fell short for me, despite the promising premise.
Overall, this was an okay but disappointing read.
June 13, 2020
Raucous mashup of Kill Bill, Westside Story (or Romeo and Juliet) and Tombstone (the Kurt Russell one). For instance:
“Somewhere, the Miner could have sworn she heard a chainsaw rev.”
“Where the fuck did you get the grenade? Are you out of your mind? Then she ruined the Miner’s comeback by passing out.”
Whatever you, don’t forget to check your guns at Station 35’s airlock!
No one knows who Jane is but she’s a miner, an augmented special forces operative and she’s here to chew bubblegum and kick ass and she’s all out of bubblegum. She has an unknown backstory that’s merely alluded to and I can’t wait to hear about.
Fun story, snappy dialogue full of mayhem, hand grenades, a nuke or two, swords, sex, drugs and rock and roll (if play heavy metal while you read) - what more do you need?
“Somewhere, the Miner could have sworn she heard a chainsaw rev.”
“Where the fuck did you get the grenade? Are you out of your mind? Then she ruined the Miner’s comeback by passing out.”
Whatever you, don’t forget to check your guns at Station 35’s airlock!
No one knows who Jane is but she’s a miner, an augmented special forces operative and she’s here to chew bubblegum and kick ass and she’s all out of bubblegum. She has an unknown backstory that’s merely alluded to and I can’t wait to hear about.
Fun story, snappy dialogue full of mayhem, hand grenades, a nuke or two, swords, sex, drugs and rock and roll (if play heavy metal while you read) - what more do you need?
July 14, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.
So when I started this book I was actually hoping it would be bad so I could quickly make a decision about it and get onto the other books I needed to review by the 14th. However, I was hooked from the first few pages and had difficulty putting it down. I would pick up another of Murphy's books without hesitation.
This book is really well paced, had a great caste of characters, smoothly written action scenes, and an ending you won't see coming. It has everything that you would love in a good action flick. If you like action movies, westerns/samurai movies, Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, and/or Firefly then you are going to love this book.
So when I started this book I was actually hoping it would be bad so I could quickly make a decision about it and get onto the other books I needed to review by the 14th. However, I was hooked from the first few pages and had difficulty putting it down. I would pick up another of Murphy's books without hesitation.
This book is really well paced, had a great caste of characters, smoothly written action scenes, and an ending you won't see coming. It has everything that you would love in a good action flick. If you like action movies, westerns/samurai movies, Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, and/or Firefly then you are going to love this book.
May 2, 2021
It’s a good read, very complicated so be prepared to follow quick combat and explosions and whatnot! It’s not my usual vibe as it’s very sci-fi but I would recommend giving it a go
November 7, 2023
2.5
Okayish pace fighting gangster book. Did get boring at times, but I think would make a better movie.
Okayish pace fighting gangster book. Did get boring at times, but I think would make a better movie.
July 15, 2024
Slow start with a strong payoff in the final 100 pages. Space Cowboy vibes all around.
July 27, 2022
Bonus points for finding out that the author is from West Virginia in the acknowledgements! 💛💙
May 3, 2023
Space Western! Super fun read! I didn't want to put it down. Action-packed and interesting characters.
March 29, 2023
I enjoyed this. Just good solid scifi!
June 9, 2020
Pondering the big mysteries of life and asking philosophical questions are things that science fiction does very well. But sometimes, you just want a big old scrap. In space, if at all possible. And wouldn’t you know it, John P. Murphy has given us just that. Red Noise is the story of a lone badass interposing herself between two warring gangs and looking to make a tidy profit off each of them as they escalate the conflict, with bloody skirmishes leading to even bloodier showdowns.
If this sounds familiar, it’s no surprise - Walter Hill’s prohibition-era Western Last Man Standing and Leone’s Spaghetti Western classic A Fistful of Dollars sprang to mind as I was reading, and doubtless others will be able to bring to mind more examples of this setup than I can. But there’s a reason why the same stories come around again and again - it’s because, done right, they’re a hell of a lot of fun.
And damn, Red Noise is fun.
Putting his own twist on those Western tropes, Murphy transfers the action from the usual dusty boardwalks and corrals to Station 35, a former military installation built into an asteroid. Our drifter hero is, quite literally, drifting, as she’s an ore miner looking to offload her cargo and resupply. With no other stations within her fuel range, she’s forced to dock at Station 35, a location soon to be made infamous by her actions. Witnessing the situation that the inhabitants are enduring - one of warring gangs and corrupt law enforcement, as well as having been thoroughly ripped off herself, “The Miner” downs tools and straps on her sword to right some wrongs, and maybe get a decent payday while she’s at it. Yeah, that’s right, she’s the woman with no name too. Perfect.
What unfolds is some highly entertaining, rapid-fire fun, with a cast of colourful thugs and crime bosses, sympathetic characters stuck in the middle of it all and more foul language than I could have wished for in my most puerile dreams. Seriously, there are some very colourful insults in there, it’s really a lot of fun. With the dapper Feeney in his rundown hotel and his traitorous former enforcer Angelica Del Rio in her captured casino, a lot more than insults end up flying across the galleria that separates them though. The action is stylish and cinematic, particularly as station rules prohibit firearms, allowing The Miner to show off her augmented close combat abilities as she slices and dices her way through more than her fair share of goons. There are plenty of nice touches to her meathead opponents too, whether it be a description of their interesting cosmetic gene modifications, their piercings, or their armament. All of this helps flesh out the world and give us more little details about it, and it’s done very subtly.
Things don’t proceed in quite the straightforward way you might expect them to either, with plenty of twists and turns through the winding corridors of Station 35, as deals are made and broken and other players enter the game with their own agendas. Uneasy alliances made before The Miner’s arrival are tested, and The Miner will need her wits to be as sharp as her sword if she’s to survive the machinations of either side unscathed. There’s a lot of attention given to the consequences of The Miner’s actions, as the rival gangs attempt to work out what her angle is and whether or not they can trust her, with some really nicely developed character arcs in there too. As likeable as The Miner is, she is very much a character who has done a whole lot of living already, resulting in her being the infinitely cool weary loner that she is, but one that doesn’t really have much reason to change in terms of her character. Bringing in these other characters and developing their arcs makes this a much more satisfying story than it otherwise might have been - not that it isn’t fun to see a lethal veteran take on some cannon fodder, but it could have been a bit one-note. Happily, that isn’t the case at all.
Cartoonish, stylish and slick, Red Noise is just as much fun as I hoped it would be, with a satisfying conclusion and plenty of sardonic, detached cool to boot. If this was Murphy’s A Fistful of Credits, here’s hoping we get For a Few Credits More.
If this sounds familiar, it’s no surprise - Walter Hill’s prohibition-era Western Last Man Standing and Leone’s Spaghetti Western classic A Fistful of Dollars sprang to mind as I was reading, and doubtless others will be able to bring to mind more examples of this setup than I can. But there’s a reason why the same stories come around again and again - it’s because, done right, they’re a hell of a lot of fun.
And damn, Red Noise is fun.
Putting his own twist on those Western tropes, Murphy transfers the action from the usual dusty boardwalks and corrals to Station 35, a former military installation built into an asteroid. Our drifter hero is, quite literally, drifting, as she’s an ore miner looking to offload her cargo and resupply. With no other stations within her fuel range, she’s forced to dock at Station 35, a location soon to be made infamous by her actions. Witnessing the situation that the inhabitants are enduring - one of warring gangs and corrupt law enforcement, as well as having been thoroughly ripped off herself, “The Miner” downs tools and straps on her sword to right some wrongs, and maybe get a decent payday while she’s at it. Yeah, that’s right, she’s the woman with no name too. Perfect.
What unfolds is some highly entertaining, rapid-fire fun, with a cast of colourful thugs and crime bosses, sympathetic characters stuck in the middle of it all and more foul language than I could have wished for in my most puerile dreams. Seriously, there are some very colourful insults in there, it’s really a lot of fun. With the dapper Feeney in his rundown hotel and his traitorous former enforcer Angelica Del Rio in her captured casino, a lot more than insults end up flying across the galleria that separates them though. The action is stylish and cinematic, particularly as station rules prohibit firearms, allowing The Miner to show off her augmented close combat abilities as she slices and dices her way through more than her fair share of goons. There are plenty of nice touches to her meathead opponents too, whether it be a description of their interesting cosmetic gene modifications, their piercings, or their armament. All of this helps flesh out the world and give us more little details about it, and it’s done very subtly.
Things don’t proceed in quite the straightforward way you might expect them to either, with plenty of twists and turns through the winding corridors of Station 35, as deals are made and broken and other players enter the game with their own agendas. Uneasy alliances made before The Miner’s arrival are tested, and The Miner will need her wits to be as sharp as her sword if she’s to survive the machinations of either side unscathed. There’s a lot of attention given to the consequences of The Miner’s actions, as the rival gangs attempt to work out what her angle is and whether or not they can trust her, with some really nicely developed character arcs in there too. As likeable as The Miner is, she is very much a character who has done a whole lot of living already, resulting in her being the infinitely cool weary loner that she is, but one that doesn’t really have much reason to change in terms of her character. Bringing in these other characters and developing their arcs makes this a much more satisfying story than it otherwise might have been - not that it isn’t fun to see a lethal veteran take on some cannon fodder, but it could have been a bit one-note. Happily, that isn’t the case at all.
Cartoonish, stylish and slick, Red Noise is just as much fun as I hoped it would be, with a satisfying conclusion and plenty of sardonic, detached cool to boot. If this was Murphy’s A Fistful of Credits, here’s hoping we get For a Few Credits More.
October 14, 2020
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.5 of 5
An asteroid miner, looking to refuel and stock up on necessities such as food, water, and oxygen, heads to the nearest space station (Station #35) with a cargo of ore to sell, which should get her enough to purchase her supplies. The Miner (as she is named throughout the book) is met be the station's self-described 'welcoming committee' who try to intimidate her with a show of strength and a slough of fees for services that may or may not be rendered.
A corrupt stationmaster is not entirely unexpected and The Miner is willing to pay the ridiculous fees and receive a less than standard take for her ore - in part because she's not sure she can make it to the next station on the fuel and oxygen she's got, and there's no telling if the next station isn't just as, or more, corrupt than where she's at.
But the 'locals' don't exactly leave The Miner alone (which they will come to regret) since she's new blood on the station and she doesn't look like she would put up much of a fight. The Miner then finds herself in the middle of a three-way stand-off among the station administrators, law enforcement, and engineers. She will choose a side, then switch, and play them all against one another until they come together with a common goal - to get rid of her.
This was one of those books that came as a total surprise to me. I knew nothing of the author and read no descriptions prior to starting the book. It's published by Angry Robot and they are a publisher from whom I will typically read everything they put out, and I do it precisely for this reason - to find something new that I will really enjoy.
In essence, this is a 'western' story turned space opera where the confident gunslinger walks into a quiet town and rescues the innocent locals from the various threats. Except this gunslinger is a woman with a katana (Japanese sword).
The story is fine. We can predict a little bit what will happen, though author John P. Murphy does bring in new sources of conflict at just the right times, but what really makes this book soar is the characters. The Miner is fantastic. Think of Clint Eastwood as the Character With No Name in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - appropriate not only because we know her only as The Miner (no name) but also because of her confidence and her very evident abilities. The town she saves is Station 35, and despite a three-way fight between the locals, there's still a resident or two who are worth saving.
The Miner's got some bad-ass skills, and little bits of her past are revealed through the course of the book ... just enough to satisfy this reader, but also with just enough mystery still that another book is easy to anticipate.
This is not a 'cozy' story - there's a lot of blood shed on and around Station 35, most (but not all) of it inflicted by The Miner. But it's not graphically detailed and we definitely understand that The Miner would rather the antagonists lay down their weapons and walk away, but that she'll fight to kill if given no option.
Murphy's writing is tight and deliberate and it is very easy to fall into this book and not want to leave until the last page is read. I had a great deal of fun here and The Miner is the kind of hero (heroine) that a reader can really rally behind.
Looking for a good book? Red Noise by John P. Murphy is exciting space opera with great characters. If you like westerns in space or adventurous sci-fi where the good guys win and the bad guys lose, then you'll love this book.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
An asteroid miner, looking to refuel and stock up on necessities such as food, water, and oxygen, heads to the nearest space station (Station #35) with a cargo of ore to sell, which should get her enough to purchase her supplies. The Miner (as she is named throughout the book) is met be the station's self-described 'welcoming committee' who try to intimidate her with a show of strength and a slough of fees for services that may or may not be rendered.
A corrupt stationmaster is not entirely unexpected and The Miner is willing to pay the ridiculous fees and receive a less than standard take for her ore - in part because she's not sure she can make it to the next station on the fuel and oxygen she's got, and there's no telling if the next station isn't just as, or more, corrupt than where she's at.
But the 'locals' don't exactly leave The Miner alone (which they will come to regret) since she's new blood on the station and she doesn't look like she would put up much of a fight. The Miner then finds herself in the middle of a three-way stand-off among the station administrators, law enforcement, and engineers. She will choose a side, then switch, and play them all against one another until they come together with a common goal - to get rid of her.
This was one of those books that came as a total surprise to me. I knew nothing of the author and read no descriptions prior to starting the book. It's published by Angry Robot and they are a publisher from whom I will typically read everything they put out, and I do it precisely for this reason - to find something new that I will really enjoy.
In essence, this is a 'western' story turned space opera where the confident gunslinger walks into a quiet town and rescues the innocent locals from the various threats. Except this gunslinger is a woman with a katana (Japanese sword).
The story is fine. We can predict a little bit what will happen, though author John P. Murphy does bring in new sources of conflict at just the right times, but what really makes this book soar is the characters. The Miner is fantastic. Think of Clint Eastwood as the Character With No Name in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - appropriate not only because we know her only as The Miner (no name) but also because of her confidence and her very evident abilities. The town she saves is Station 35, and despite a three-way fight between the locals, there's still a resident or two who are worth saving.
The Miner's got some bad-ass skills, and little bits of her past are revealed through the course of the book ... just enough to satisfy this reader, but also with just enough mystery still that another book is easy to anticipate.
This is not a 'cozy' story - there's a lot of blood shed on and around Station 35, most (but not all) of it inflicted by The Miner. But it's not graphically detailed and we definitely understand that The Miner would rather the antagonists lay down their weapons and walk away, but that she'll fight to kill if given no option.
Murphy's writing is tight and deliberate and it is very easy to fall into this book and not want to leave until the last page is read. I had a great deal of fun here and The Miner is the kind of hero (heroine) that a reader can really rally behind.
Looking for a good book? Red Noise by John P. Murphy is exciting space opera with great characters. If you like westerns in space or adventurous sci-fi where the good guys win and the bad guys lose, then you'll love this book.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2020
[Edit - About three weeks after finishing this novel, I've found myself thinking about it more than I thought I would. Murphy did a fantastic job creating a setting that is intriguing to me. I would not say that the concept of space stations is new by any stretch, but there is something quirky about THIS particular space station that I find myself recalling with fondness. I do not think this book is one that everyone will enjoy, but ex post I can say that I certainly did enjoy it more than I thought I would when I first started reading it.]
Based on the description I had expected an entirely different book. After about 50 pages I was scratching my head thinking whether I wanted to keep going or switch over to another book. Not because I did not think the book read well. Mostly a preference thing. After meeting some of the characters it felt a bit like Borderlands the video game. Then it morphed and got more serious - without rejecting the zany vibe.
The book follows “the miner”, one whose past we know little about other than that she was badass spec ops wetwork and intel operator for the military. Trying to discover herself and put her bloody past behind her, she’s taken up deep space mining. All is passable until desperate need for fuel and provision forces her to the only station in range. Corruption runs rampant and she is forced to accept cents in the dollar for her haul, which in turn prevents her from affording to leave. She thereafter embarks on her own campaign.
Murphy has an interesting and entertaining story here. The main protagonist has enough depth to me intriguing - even if she is a bit too over powered and near invincible.
One critique is that it felt like a few characters had inconsistent personalities. At the start they seemed completely ridiculous only to be mature and insightful later on in the story (a week later). I think more globally, the story itself goes back and forth from silly to serious so much that it bleeds into the characters.
Final Verdict: 3.45
I found myself entertained throughout the book but it did not have the staying power of some others that I’ve enjoyed recently. For me, it was a nice change of pace book. If Murphy dives back in with a new “Miner” story I’d likely pick it up and give it a go.
Based on the description I had expected an entirely different book. After about 50 pages I was scratching my head thinking whether I wanted to keep going or switch over to another book. Not because I did not think the book read well. Mostly a preference thing. After meeting some of the characters it felt a bit like Borderlands the video game. Then it morphed and got more serious - without rejecting the zany vibe.
The book follows “the miner”, one whose past we know little about other than that she was badass spec ops wetwork and intel operator for the military. Trying to discover herself and put her bloody past behind her, she’s taken up deep space mining. All is passable until desperate need for fuel and provision forces her to the only station in range. Corruption runs rampant and she is forced to accept cents in the dollar for her haul, which in turn prevents her from affording to leave. She thereafter embarks on her own campaign.
Murphy has an interesting and entertaining story here. The main protagonist has enough depth to me intriguing - even if she is a bit too over powered and near invincible.
One critique is that it felt like a few characters had inconsistent personalities. At the start they seemed completely ridiculous only to be mature and insightful later on in the story (a week later). I think more globally, the story itself goes back and forth from silly to serious so much that it bleeds into the characters.
Final Verdict: 3.45
I found myself entertained throughout the book but it did not have the staying power of some others that I’ve enjoyed recently. For me, it was a nice change of pace book. If Murphy dives back in with a new “Miner” story I’d likely pick it up and give it a go.
December 19, 2020
2020 Popsugar Reading Challenge
1. A book that’s published in 2020
I would describe this book as "Mad Max meets Kill Bill on a space station", so if that sounds like a good time then you'll probably enjoy it and if it doesn't...well, probably not for you. I had a lot of fun reading this one, plenty of the tropes you'd expect from that description, easy read, space shenanigans.
1. A book that’s published in 2020
I would describe this book as "Mad Max meets Kill Bill on a space station", so if that sounds like a good time then you'll probably enjoy it and if it doesn't...well, probably not for you. I had a lot of fun reading this one, plenty of the tropes you'd expect from that description, easy read, space shenanigans.
August 25, 2020
Thanks to Angry Robot for sending a review copy of Red Noise all the way from UK! Receiving this review copy does not influence my views towards the content of the book.
This is perhaps my 5th sci-fi read in my entire life. Moreover, Red Noise is a "space western" i.e. a sub-genre of of science fiction which uses the tropes of Westerns or Wild West in a sci-fi context. This perhaps further fortifies my unfamiliarity towards this genre and hence, my review for Red Noise may appear amateurish to those hardcore sci-fi readers out there.
We follow the journey of The Miner who is stuck in Station 35. The situation in Station 35 is rather messy: it was sort of controlled by 2 warring gangs as well as a corrupted police chief. The Miner thus intends to "clear up" the situation in Station 35. I love the way the author describes the space setting in this story. The politics and intense relationship between the 2 gangs and the corrupted police chief are also very interesting and well executed. In the midst of executing the dynamics between the characters in the story, the author also added some humor elements which works quite well for me. Not to mention that the action scenes (whereby there is a mixture of Western gun fighting and samurai sword fighting) are very fun and engaging!
The main problem to me, is the characterization of the characters, especially the protagonist of the story, The Miner. I saw some reviews on how The Miner's characterization is flat and emotionless. I totally agree with such comments. In fact, I think that The Miner can be characterized as a "Mary Sue" character as she can solve all problems which she encounters to an extent that she is too perfect and flawless. I am a reader who loves a character driven story (with complex characterization) but apparently characterization is lacking in this story (though the plot is rather fast paced and action packed). All in all, this is a decent 3.5/5 star read to me. If you are up for an interesting and a different sci-fi read with Western tropes, do pick up Red Noise!
This is perhaps my 5th sci-fi read in my entire life. Moreover, Red Noise is a "space western" i.e. a sub-genre of of science fiction which uses the tropes of Westerns or Wild West in a sci-fi context. This perhaps further fortifies my unfamiliarity towards this genre and hence, my review for Red Noise may appear amateurish to those hardcore sci-fi readers out there.
We follow the journey of The Miner who is stuck in Station 35. The situation in Station 35 is rather messy: it was sort of controlled by 2 warring gangs as well as a corrupted police chief. The Miner thus intends to "clear up" the situation in Station 35. I love the way the author describes the space setting in this story. The politics and intense relationship between the 2 gangs and the corrupted police chief are also very interesting and well executed. In the midst of executing the dynamics between the characters in the story, the author also added some humor elements which works quite well for me. Not to mention that the action scenes (whereby there is a mixture of Western gun fighting and samurai sword fighting) are very fun and engaging!
The main problem to me, is the characterization of the characters, especially the protagonist of the story, The Miner. I saw some reviews on how The Miner's characterization is flat and emotionless. I totally agree with such comments. In fact, I think that The Miner can be characterized as a "Mary Sue" character as she can solve all problems which she encounters to an extent that she is too perfect and flawless. I am a reader who loves a character driven story (with complex characterization) but apparently characterization is lacking in this story (though the plot is rather fast paced and action packed). All in all, this is a decent 3.5/5 star read to me. If you are up for an interesting and a different sci-fi read with Western tropes, do pick up Red Noise!
October 26, 2025
’To everyone who just wants to be left alone.’
Right from the dedication, you can tell John P. Murphy’s Red Noise is going to be tuff as blacksmithed steel, gritty as the dirt in Deadwood, and mean as mixed-up bag of itchy rattlesnakes and ornery yellowjackets. It also quite good – the sci-fi western you have always been craving -- even if maybe you didn’t quite know it yet.
Cut to a hardscrabble asteroid miner – we’ll call her Jane – who out of necessity puts in at frontier outpost Space Station 35 looking for food and fuel only to be screwed by the port, the company, the banditos, and pretty much every lowlife left clinging to this metal barnacle at the ass-end of space. But in classic cowboy-style, Jane has a past that’ll make the gangs and grifters of Station 35 rue the day they forced her to stick around.
Murphy’s style fits the quick patter grit and aggression of this tale perfectly. It’s not hard to quickly get into rooting for Jane with her snappy sarcasm and stoicism as she plays cat to the mice of dopey gangsters and corrupt lawman on the station. In fact, Murphy does a nice job with his whole cast of characters as even bit players (like Ditz) get a pretty good thumbnail of a backstory to make everything feel that much sadder when it ends. Station 35 is also suitably desperate and derelict with Murphy putting in enough hard sci-fit to make it feel extraplanetary while never losing the Old West vibe of a good town gone completely bad.
I was disappointed that there were a few ne'er-do-wells that didn’t quite get the comeuppance they deserved -- as in real-life I guess -- and maybe a sub-plot or two here and there that could have been tied up a bit more tightly, but as a whole Red Noise is fun read: violent, coarse, witty, and with quite a bit of heart.
I hope the folks at the next space station over are smart enough to treat Jane a whole lot better.
November 30, 2024
“People get tired of vodka.”
“Nobody gets tired of vodka.”
She used to wear a uniform, but no longer does. She bears facial scars that theoretically could be removed “for a fee.” She has an artificial eye in dire need of recalibration, and a bank account in the name of “Mickey F*****g Mouse.”
The Miner boards Station 35 to trade ore for supplies; most of all, she’s looking for sleeping pills—not for her, she says with morbid humor, but for her ship lest it get anxiety. Also, she needs money to pay her mining patch fees. The station itself is slowly dying, kept on air by Anaconda Consolidated and inhabited by a score of wisecracking characters well aware of their place in the universe. It’s the “godd**n Augean stables,” as one person puts it, “a festering abscess full of villains and coprophiles.” And after a representative of Anaconda Consolidated rips her off in a deal, the Miner is stuck there.
Caught between two rival gangs and corrupt policemen, she decides to give the stables a thorough mucking out.
This space western feels lived-in; the descriptions are tactile; the characters come alive on the pages—even the Miner’s ship is programmed to wisecrack, and does so hilariously. The Miner herself, with her little plant room with three bonsai trees and a sword at her hip, is a perfect, relatable ronin.
The language is zippy, and there are some nice metaphors here, too: from space, the station looks like a “giant misshapen spider clinging to gray rock” (I have arachnophobia, by the way); the sword’s sheath feels like “a childhood song.”
And hey, in case you’re wondering, those sleeping pills make a perfect comeback at the end. A great, fun read!
“Nobody gets tired of vodka.”
She used to wear a uniform, but no longer does. She bears facial scars that theoretically could be removed “for a fee.” She has an artificial eye in dire need of recalibration, and a bank account in the name of “Mickey F*****g Mouse.”
The Miner boards Station 35 to trade ore for supplies; most of all, she’s looking for sleeping pills—not for her, she says with morbid humor, but for her ship lest it get anxiety. Also, she needs money to pay her mining patch fees. The station itself is slowly dying, kept on air by Anaconda Consolidated and inhabited by a score of wisecracking characters well aware of their place in the universe. It’s the “godd**n Augean stables,” as one person puts it, “a festering abscess full of villains and coprophiles.” And after a representative of Anaconda Consolidated rips her off in a deal, the Miner is stuck there.
Caught between two rival gangs and corrupt policemen, she decides to give the stables a thorough mucking out.
This space western feels lived-in; the descriptions are tactile; the characters come alive on the pages—even the Miner’s ship is programmed to wisecrack, and does so hilariously. The Miner herself, with her little plant room with three bonsai trees and a sword at her hip, is a perfect, relatable ronin.
The language is zippy, and there are some nice metaphors here, too: from space, the station looks like a “giant misshapen spider clinging to gray rock” (I have arachnophobia, by the way); the sword’s sheath feels like “a childhood song.”
And hey, in case you’re wondering, those sleeping pills make a perfect comeback at the end. A great, fun read!
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