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Book Review of Homecoming: Stargate Atlantis: SGA-16

Homecoming: Stargate Atlantis: SGA-16
raksha38 avatar reviewed on + 203 more book reviews


THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!


I got addicted to Stargate Atlantis because of the premise had a lot of (sadly mostly unrealized) potential and because of what the actors managed to do with their characters almost in spite of what theyd been given by the scripts. Lots of stuff pissed me off, though, such as the general opinion that the universe would be a lot better off if everyone just let the American military run everything and the complete dismissal of the knowledge, opinion, and even lives of native peoples of other planets (usually played by actors of color).

Miraculously, this book goes a long way toward fixing a lot of that BS! I dont think its a coincidence that this book was written by two women, while the TV show was a straight up sausage fest. Anyway, after the infuriating series finale, the city of Atlantis was back on Earth, leaving the people of the Pegasus galaxy at the mercy of the Wraith, because screw them, this is ours now! This book takes the city back to Pegasus, with every one of the main characters firmly of the opinion that thats where it belongs and that they have a duty to do what they can to support the people of Pegasus. It delves into the history and home cultures of Teyla and Ronon far more than the series ever did. Ronon, instead of just being a one note tough guy like he was so often written on the show, is given a lot more depth. He was a student of poetry and literature before joining the army to fight the Wraith when they set out to destroy his world! That sentence right there is more about his history than we got on the show.

It also gets more into Teylas conflicted feelings about wanting to be with her people, and wanting to be on Atlantis to represent them to the rest of the galaxy and to help protect them from the Wraith and also because she gets personal fulfillment out of exploration. Theyre also clearly building up to a relationship between her and John Sheppard (FINALLY!), which I like.

All this, and theyre putting a new spin on the Wraith threat and setting up political intrigue with the Genii.

One thing I didnt like was the beginning of the book. There was far too much Earth politics and it went on for too long, I thought. The IOA was always one of my very least favorite parts of the show and apparently that goes for the books as well. Anytime they get into the IOA and/or Earth politics, it brings out the very worst of the arrogant, self-centered, self-satisfied kind of American (military) exceptionalism that threads through the show.

On the whole, I really liked this book. Its one of the better tv show tie-ins that Ive read.