I really enjoyed this. Not, by any stretch, deep, but very readable and -- I would argue-- intelligent eye-candy. This was a second reading for me: I want to carry on with the novels, and not get hijacked by the TV series, but I needed to start again, and I'm not sorry that I did.
Some random observations.
* With all due respect to George R R Martin's blurb on the cover, this is not "space opera." What it is, is a very solidly constructed "planetary romance," set in a middle-distance future (date never specified, unless I missed something) in which humankind has colonized anything than can be adapted for human habitation in the solar system. And enough time has passed that political, social and even physiological cracks have become yawning gulfs between the various regions of settlement.
* Not as grounded as Kim Stanley Robinson, but more plausible than, say, John Varley. The future depicted by "Corey" feels real, dirty and "used." This is not a Star Trek future, with near instantaneous travel and communication: human bodies suffer for their time in space, and sacrifices have to be made. The food sounds appalling. The characters' delight at little luxuries like a decent coffee maker really resonates.
"Corey" has allowed an almost-light-speed drive, and some "tight beam" communication to speed things up. Magical medical advances allow characters to bounce back from whatever the plot throws at them, in an almost cartoonish style. But apart from that, there are suggestions of the potential limitations and frustrations of space travel.
* Hardly original. Take "Firefly," and move it to our solar system. Add a dash of "Alien" (especially the first one, but actually bits of all of them ...), a large dollop of Greg Bear's "Blood Music" and, as I said, generous nods to Kim Stanley Robinson and John Varley. Oh, and Iain M. Banks. (Now, he's Space Opera, but he also has the tremendous capacity for making it all feel very real and, er, down to earth ...) So, put it all together, and .. hey, presto! This is not a criticism: if you're going to steal, you might as well steal from the best. And, it's not stealing if you rattle those borrowed components around, and do something interesting and fun with them.And this is interesting and fun.
* Great structure. "Corey" works the alternative POVs of Holden and Miller very well, for maximum coverage of a broad canvas, and for maximum suspense. Nicely sewn together at moments when the last line of one chapter becomes the first line or paragraph of the next, as the baton is passed. "Corey" also shows a satisfying willingness to shake things up, from time to time.
Only other thing to say -- reading this now, as an American who lives in the UK, the tensions, and outright hostilities between the inner planets and the Belters feels .. .familiar. Scarily familiar ...
But, a good read -- there are much, much worse ways to pass your leisure time ...
Some random observations.
* With all due respect to George R R Martin's blurb on the cover, this is not "space opera." What it is, is a very solidly constructed "planetary romance," set in a middle-distance future (date never specified, unless I missed something) in which humankind has colonized anything than can be adapted for human habitation in the solar system. And enough time has passed that political, social and even physiological cracks have become yawning gulfs between the various regions of settlement.
* Not as grounded as Kim Stanley Robinson, but more plausible than, say, John Varley. The future depicted by "Corey" feels real, dirty and "used." This is not a Star Trek future, with near instantaneous travel and communication: human bodies suffer for their time in space, and sacrifices have to be made. The food sounds appalling. The characters' delight at little luxuries like a decent coffee maker really resonates.
"Corey" has allowed an almost-light-speed drive, and some "tight beam" communication to speed things up. Magical medical advances allow characters to bounce back from whatever the plot throws at them, in an almost cartoonish style. But apart from that, there are suggestions of the potential limitations and frustrations of space travel.
* Hardly original. Take "Firefly," and move it to our solar system. Add a dash of "Alien" (especially the first one, but actually bits of all of them ...), a large dollop of Greg Bear's "Blood Music" and, as I said, generous nods to Kim Stanley Robinson and John Varley. Oh, and Iain M. Banks. (Now, he's Space Opera, but he also has the tremendous capacity for making it all feel very real and, er, down to earth ...) So, put it all together, and .. hey, presto! This is not a criticism: if you're going to steal, you might as well steal from the best. And, it's not stealing if you rattle those borrowed components around, and do something interesting and fun with them.And this is interesting and fun.
* Great structure. "Corey" works the alternative POVs of Holden and Miller very well, for maximum coverage of a broad canvas, and for maximum suspense. Nicely sewn together at moments when the last line of one chapter becomes the first line or paragraph of the next, as the baton is passed. "Corey" also shows a satisfying willingness to shake things up, from time to time.
Only other thing to say -- reading this now, as an American who lives in the UK, the tensions, and outright hostilities between the inner planets and the Belters feels .. .familiar. Scarily familiar ...
But, a good read -- there are much, much worse ways to pass your leisure time ...
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