Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

On February 11, 2025December 2, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction2 Comments

Publisher: Macmillan Audio (Audiobook – 15 February 2022)

Series: Mickey7 – Book One

Length: nine hours and 15 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I finally got around to reading the awesome and darkly funny science fiction novel, Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, a very cool read that is set to have an intriguing film adaptation later this year.

Mickey7 is a book that has been on my radar for a while, as it was one of the top science fiction books of 2022. I heard a lot of buzz about Mickey7 when it first came out, and I liked the sound of the entertaining plot that author Edward Ashton came up with. Thanks to some excellent early praise I saw about this I really meant to read Mickey7 when it first came out but could never quite fit it into my reading schedule. However, inspired by the upcoming film adaptation, I used a recent road trip to finally check out Mickey7 and I regret not reading it sooner.

Plot Synopsis:

Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living.

Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous—even suicidal—the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.

On a fairly routine scouting mission, Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. By the time he returns to the colony base, surprisingly helped back by native life, Mickey7’s fate has been sealed. There’s a new clone, Mickey8, reporting for Expendable duties. The idea of duplicate Expendables is universally loathed, and if caught, they will likely be thrown into the recycler for protein.

Mickey7 must keep his double a secret from the rest of the colony. Meanwhile, life on Niflheim is getting worse. The atmosphere is unsuitable for humans, food is in short supply, and terraforming is going poorly. The native species are growing curious about their new neighbors, and that curiosity has Commander Marshall very afraid. Ultimately, the survival of both lifeforms will come down to Mickey7.

That is, if he can just keep from dying for good.

Mickey7 proved to be an outstanding and highly entertaining book that I had a wonderful time getting through in one extended listen. Edward Ashton masterfully crafted together a memorable science fiction narrative that is clever, thought-provoking, and particularly hilarious. As such, I felt that Mickey7 deserved a full five-star rating, and I am very much looking forward to the upcoming film adaption.

I deeply enjoyed the unique, fun and compelling narrative that Ashton pulled together for Mickey7, especially as the author blends interesting science fiction concepts with entertaining characters. Starting off with the initial event that sees the titular seventh iteration of protagonist Mickey Barnes thrust into a situation that would lead to his death, only to survive and encounter the next iteration of himself in his bed, Mickey7 has an awesome start to it that Ashton expertly introduces and leans into. What follows is a fantastic, character-driven tale, as Mickey7 attempts to work things out with his clone, Mickey8, while trying to hide the fact that there are duplicate versions of themselves from the rest of the colony. Forced to also contend with other personal dramas, as well as the emergence of a dangerous alien threat, the protagonist has a lot of balls to juggle at this point, and it proves to be quite captivating to see all the chaos unfold. There is some great drama as the story continues and the two duplicates are inevitably found out, especially as the reactions that the other characters are quite varied.

At the same time as all the crazy events of the book are occurring, the protagonist also uses his narration to dive into his own past, including the reasons he became an expendable and all the dark deaths he has already experienced. This character history proves to be very integral to the protagonist’s journey in the current adventure, and you grow to appreciate his motivations for surviving after learning about his previous deaths. Mickey7 also uses his narration to examine some intriguing insights into the wider universe the book is set into. These details of the wider universe are very cleverly worked into the plot of the story, and these expansions in the lore are not only fascinating but also provide some interesting context to the protagonist’s situation and the reasons behind the actions of himself of his fellow colonists. This includes history of the wider universe, discussion about other colonies, as well as the reason why duplicates of expendables are so reviled. While this examination of the human expansion and experience in the future does take up a fair bit of the book, I think that Ashton got the right balance between the focus on modern day events and these insights and commentary from the protagonist, and they come together to make quite an entertaining tale.

Everything leads up to the big conclusion of Mickey7, as the protagonists are forced to face off against the aliens with the threat of execution hanging over their heads. Ashton does a good job of wrapping up some interesting character interactions and development towards the end of the book, especially as the protagonist grows, while also learning to deal some of the toxic personalities in his life. The author also builds on some interesting foreshadowing that had been present since the start of the book to provide a solution to one of the main issues the protagonist is forced to deal with, and I think that Ashton used it well to help bring his entire plot together. The final confrontation with one of the book’s main antagonists was very therapeutic for both the protagonist and the reader, and Ashton leaves the plot in a fun place that I felt wrapped up the narrative and the character growth extremely well.

This proved to be a very impressive novel, and the author ensured that Mickey7 had the right blend of character development, harsh science fiction adventure, and comedic charm to be especially captivating. Ashton makes great use of the first-person perspective for Mickey7, as he presents a very entertaining and personal tale of survival, rebirth and finding oneself in a science fiction setting. Simultaneously telling his own personal story while also exploring the universe that the book is set in, Mickey7 proves to be a very amusing narrator, and I really liked his take on the events and the history going on around him. Even with the commentary on both the protagonist’s history and the wider universe, which I maintain is essential for the how great the book turned out to be, Mickey7 is still a sleek and fast-paced read that gets its messages of self-determination, human nature and the continued desire to survive out in an entertaining way. I honestly was hooked on this book from the very beginning, and the way it was presented allowed the reader to quickly power through it, while also enjoy its message.

One of the main reasons that Mickey7 was so enjoyable was the well-written and complex characters featured within it. This includes the main protagonist and point-of-view character, the seventh Mickey Barnes, who quickly steals your heart. A kind but irresponsible figure, Mickey7 is the sum of his original experiences and the dark deaths he encountered as part of this expedition. Ashton does an excellent job showcasing both his personality and his history, and I liked how well he worked them into the plot of the book. Mickey’s many foibles and shortcomings are well expressed throughout the book, and at times the protagonist seems a little dumb, especially when you learn his history. However, thanks to his insightful narration, you really grow to appreciate Mickey’s take on the world, and it proved quite fun to see him interact with the unique situations he encounters, especially his fraught relationship with his own clone, Mickey8. Thanks to a few weeks’ difference in memories, Mickey8 is a surprisingly different personality to Mickey7, and I loved seeing the impact that experiences and revelations can have on a person. I really enjoyed seeing Mickey7 come to terms with his own nature, as well as his desire to survive, and he proved a great central protagonist for this ambitious novel.

The rest of the key cast of Mickey7 proved to be intriguing in their own way. Love interest Nasha proved to be a great companion for Mickey, and I liked the dive into their relationship, especially when it comes to how Mickey’s deaths affect her. She also helps initiate one of the more memorable scenes in the book when she finds out there are two Mickeys running around, which is honestly very amusing (I know I sniggered a lot). Mickey’s friend Berto is also a fantastic figure in the book, mainly because his one-sided relationship with Mickey proves to be quite detrimental to the protagonist. The way that Ashton explores Berto’s personality and actions is quite clever and compelling, and I liked the full explanation for his actions when it comes to Mickey’s previous deaths. I also really enjoyed the expedition’s commander, Hieronymous Marshall. A strict, militaristic figure, Marshall serves an antagonistic role in the plot, especially when he lets his prejudice against expendables impact his decisions. While at times Marshall is a bit of a cliche controlling boss figure, he proves to be a good foil for the rest of the characters, and I loved his outraged reactions when things don’t go his way. These characters, and a couple more, serve as a great supporting cast to Mickey’s tale of life, and I really loved the compelling edge they gave to the plot.

As I mentioned above, I chose to check out Mickey7 on audiobook, primarily because it made for good road trip entertainment, but I ended up really enjoying this format of Mickey7, which really got the book’s unique tone and narrative across. Coming in with a runtime just over 9 hours, this proved to be a very easy audiobook to power through quickly, and I really appreciate how much it made Ashton’s compelling and complex narrative easy to experience and enjoy. This was primarily because of the audiobook’s main narrator, John Pirhalla, who really dove into the key characters for this book and moved the plot along at a quick and exciting pace. Pirhalla brought some very fun voices to the Mickey7 audiobook, and I loved how effectively he captured the main character, Mickey, with his voicework. You get the full emotional range with Pirhalla’s take on Mickey, although I loved the continued exasperated tone that seemed to capture a lot of Mickey’s personality, as the protagonist continues to encounter more over-the-top problems and experiences. This more humorous vocal tone for the main narration certainly lightened the mood, even in some of the more tense scenes, and I personally felt it added a lot to the audiobook’s charm. Pirhalla also provides some effective alternate voices to capture the rest of the supporting characters, including the female figures, and you really got a great sense of personality and mentality with these fitting voices. My personal favourite would have to be the voice that Pirhalla gave to Commander Marshall, and the rough, irritated and commanding tones matched so many stereotypical older, military leaders from film and television, that you could easily picture the character every time he talked. Throw in some effective audio effects to capture the times that the characters were communicating digitally (which also featured a second narrator, Katharine Chin, who voiced the digital communications from female characters), and this proved to be a well performed audiobook that effectively captured Mickey7’s unique plot and tone. As such, this audiobook comes highly recommended, and I can personally guarantee that the Mickey7 audiobook is an excellent entertainment for a road trip of several hours.

Thanks to its addictive and humours narrative, cool characters and intriguing universe building, Mickey7 lived up to its hype in my estimation, and I am very glad I decided to check out this novel by Edward Ashton. Clever and continually entertaining, Mickey7 was so much fun, and I am really glad I finally got the chance to check it out. I am quite excited to see how the film adaptation, Mickey17 turns out, which has some real potential thanks to its top rate cast and director. I am also planning to read the sequel to Mickey7, Antimatter Blues, very soon, and I cannot wait to see how Ashton continues the story from the first book.

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The Gathering by C. J. Tudor

On May 12, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Horror, Murder Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller7 Comments

Publisher: Michael Joseph (ebook – 16 April 2024)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 412 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Acclaimed author C. J. Tudor continues her excellent run of clever and dark thrillers with the intense, inventive, and gripping horror murder mystery, The Gathering.

C. J. Tudor is a talented and highly inventive author who has been producing some intriguing reads over the last couple of years. Starting with her 2018 debut, The Chalk Man, Tudor has consistently produced some compelling books with clever horror or psychological thriller elements. Her other books include The Hiding Place (also titled The Taking of Annie Thorne), The Other People, The Burning Girls and The Drift. While Tudor’s intriguing novels have often stood out to me, generally because their unique plots, I unfortunately haven’t had the opportunity to read any of her prior works, which is something I really regret. However, this has recently changed as I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Tudor’s latest book, The Gathering, an intriguing murder mystery thriller with some distinctive element behind it.

Welcome to the small town of Deadhart, Alaska, home to a small population of living humans and a colony of vampyrs. Maligned and hunted beings throughout the world, vampyrs in America now have legal protection from unsanctioned killings, as long as they don’t harm any humans. While members of the Colony attempt to stay away from humans, old hatreds, prejudices and grudges rear their ugly head when a young teenager is found murdered with his throat ripped out and his body drained of blood.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings and physiology, is sent to Deadhart to determine if a vampyr committed the murder and authorise a cull if the Colony is unwilling to hand over the perpetrator. Arriving in the small town, Barbara finds the local inhabitants afraid and angry, looking for vengeance for the death of the boy and determined to wipe out the vampyrs for good, especially as this case bears a striking similarity to a previous killing blamed on the Colony 25 years ago.

Beginning her investigation, Barbara soon discovers that there is far more to the case then initially appears. Much of the evidence has been staged, and no one is willing to tell her the truth about what has really going on in town. When more deaths occurring throughout Deadhart and the town in uproar, Barbara deputises former Deadhart sheriff Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous killings nearly left him for dead.

As Barbara and Jenson attempt to discover the culprit, it soon becomes clear that someone is attempting to stir up a conflict between the people of Deadhart and their vampyr neighbours. With both settlements on the warpath, Barbara and Jenson need to dive into Deadhart’s dark history to truly understand the crime before them. But is the killer a bloodthirsty vampyr, a psychotic human with a taste for chaos, or something far worse?

Tudor absolutely blew me away with this exceptional and highly clever read. The Gathering was a brilliant book that expertly combined an inventive and well-established concept with a complex murder mystery. Loaded with intriguing and damaged characters and a dark story of death, revenge and oppression, The Gathering was an extremely awesome book that I could not turn away from.

Thanks to its vampyr focused murder mystery, I knew I was going to really enjoy the plot behind The Gathering well in advance of reading it, and boy was I proven right. Tudor does a wonderful job quickly and effectively setting the scene, and you are soon introduced to the town of Deadhart, the concept of vampyrs and the particulars of the murder. What follows is a complex case as protagonist Barbara Atkins is forced to investigate as an outsider, as most of the town is filled with anti-vampyr sentiment. Further complications are added when Atkins finds a range of dark secrets hidden throughout Deadhart, both in the present and in the past, which have bearing on the modern case. At the same time, the various residents of Deadhart and the Colony react in different ways to the murder, using it to restart old grudges or bring long-festering hurts to the surface.

The Gathering’s narrative progresses at a fast and compelling pace, and you are soon treated to revelation after revelation, as well as several additional killings. I loved the combination of a modern-day investigation and dives back into various periods of Deadhart’s history that emerged, especially as clues in the past have huge bearings on the modern story. Tudor cleverly builds up several simultaneous mysteries and ongoing storylines, and soon the protagonist is not only trying to discover who the killer is but prevent a war between Deadhart and the Colony. Everything leads up nicely to a pretty epic conclusion, which was well foreshadowed, with some pretty awesome revelations coming to the fore. I loved how well several compelling character arcs came full circle during this confrontation, and the main antagonist of the plot proved to be quite sinister and well established. Several other tertiary mysteries are also solved near the end, and Tudor ensures that many storylines are tied off in a satisfying and clever way. There are some awesome twists at the end, including one surrounding one of the book’s most compelling characters, and this last twist in particular is likely to lead to additional books in the series. I honestly was the hooked the entire way through this amazing story, and I really appreciate how Tudor brought it together.

I’m a huge sucker for classic for thrillers with distinctive twists to them, and The Gathering was a great example of this. Tudor managed to pull together a complex murder mystery that not only features an isolated Alaskan town with a dark history and multiple complex and haunted characters, but also contains an elaborate vampiric society and history. All these elements are used extremely well throughout The Gathering, and I was extremely impressed with how Tudor was able to tie everything so effectively together. Tudor makes sure to tell multiple character-focused storylines at the same time, which allows for a more multifaceted plot that goes in some very interesting direction. The split focus on several captivating and distinctive figures works wonders to enhance this, and Tudor uses this to showcase the rising tension in the town, and the various perspectives surrounding it. There are some great plot lines here, and the way that they interacted and came together was very impressive. I was particularly impressed by the chapters that kept coming back to an unnamed figure being held prisoner by a mysterious captor. This storyline was weaved throughout the novel, and I was constantly left guessing about who the figures were and how it would work into the main story. The reveal surrounding it was not what I was expecting, but I loved how well it set up a major twist at the end. Other character-focused storylines also proved to be just as compelling, and the way everything came together was very impressive. I honestly knocked out this book in just over a day, it was that damn good, and I cannot emphasise how cleverly Tudor brought everything together.

One aspect of this book that I really must highlight is just how great a setting Deadhart proved to be as it enhances the plot of The Gathering in so many excellent ways. The well-written depictions of the frigid Alaskan wilderness and secluding storms allows Tudor to bring together a classic thriller background of an isolated, snowed-in town, where the protagonist is unable to get backup and is forced to rely on unlikely help from the local outsider. While this always makes for a great story background, Tudor enhances it by building up a dark history around Deadhart and the Colony, that plays so well into the modern storyline. This unique history of the town was expertly explored by Tudor, and it worked to produce a much more complicated mystery, one dotted with historical grudges and family feuds. I particularly loved how effectively Tudor explored the growing terror infesting Deadhart as the killings continue, as both the humans and the isolated vampyrs begin to fear what is to come. This undercurrent of fear and the resulting rage it leads to is almost palpable at times, and you can fully understand how and why the various characters act the way they do.

Another element of The Gathering that really impressed me was how well Tudor set up an alternate world where vampyrs exist. The whole concept of the vampyrs as biological offshoots with several classic vampiric traits, including blood drinking and an aversion to sunlight, is quickly and effectively established by Tudor, who does a wonderful job of immediately bringing readers into this world. As the book continues, the reader gets a more in-depth look at the vampyrs, their biology, their psychology, and their history, especially when it comes to their interactions with humans. This examination of the interaction with humans is particularly key, as Tudor explores the prejudices that emerged, as humans learned to hate the entire species. Featuring some fantastic parallels between other social rights issues, the relationship between the two species is explored in detail, and then applied to isolated Deadhart. Watching the prejudices of the town come to light again was a great part of the book, especially as it is well contrasted by looks at the vampyr community. As the story continues, you soon realise that there are monsters on both sides of the biological line, and figuring out who is crossing this line is a major part of the plot. Defining vampyrs in both a scientific and social way proved to be very interesting, and I liked the attempts at humanising the figures and making them less of a horror monster. That being said, there are some dark and scary scenes in The Gathering, especially when the vampyrs get angry. Overall, the use of vampyrs is in The Gathering was very cleverly, and Tudor really highlighted her writing ability by setting this up so effectively.

The final element of the book I want to highlight is the amazing group of complex and damaged characters featured throughout The Gathering. Tudor clearly has an aptitude for bringing together a compelling cast, as the reader is treated to a range of different figures, each of whom have their own compelling histories and dark pasts mottled by the troubled relationships between humans and vampyrs. The most prominent of these is the visiting detective, Barbara Atkins, who is forced to battle mystery, local hatred, and her own unique feelings about vampyrs as she determines whether a cull is required. Showcased as the calm and reasonable inclusion to the investigation, Barbara finds herself severely tested by the town’s prejudices and mistrust, while trying to find the truth no matter what. Much of Barbara’s actions are guided by rationality, although there is an intriguing look back into her past, as her own experiences with small towns with vampyr colonies plays a big role in her motivations. As such, she is an excellent central protagonist, and I loved how well she played the outsider figure coming into town.

In addition to Barbara, The Gathering also features a complex group of locals, each of whom have their own connection to Deadhart’s dark history and the hostile relationship between the town and the Colony. Standouts include former sheriff Jenson Tucker, whose previous investigation of a vampyr death left him as the town pariah. Tucker goes through a powerful redemption arc in The Gathering, and he proved to be an able secondary protagonist as he comes to terms with his many secrets. Other great characters include an ancient vampyr, trapped in the form of a child, whose connection to the dark side of Deadhart becomes a driving force for their revenge. There is also a mysterious local preacher determined to bring violence to the vampyrs, and who proves to be an intriguing counterpoint to the main protagonist Barbara. Finally, the various members of an original Deadhart family with a long simmering hatred for all thing vampyr, adds a great amount of drama to the plot, not only because of their connections to the previous killing in town but because their well-established fear of vampyrs leads to much of The Gathering’s conflict. These characters, and more, are very well written, and their dark attitudes, fearful actions and unique viewpoints add a great deal to this already impressive and emotionally charged novel.

C. J. Tudor deeply impressed me as The Gathering turned out to be one hell of a read. Expertly utilising her inventive and clever alternate world in conjunction with a captivating mystery, Tudor wrote a particularly epic tale in The Gathering, and I had such a lot of fun getting through it. An intense and powerful read, The Gathering is one of the best books I have read so far in 2024 and I cannot recommend it enough.

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Colonyside by Michael Mammay

On January 31, 2021August 16, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Thriller26 Comments

Publisher: Harper Audio (Audiobook – 29 December 2020)

Series: Planetside – Book Three

Length: 10 hours and 4 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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One of the most impressive rising stars in science fiction, Michael Mammay, returns with the third entry in his outstanding Planetside series, Colonyside, a captivating science fiction thriller that sees Colonel Carl Butler return for another epic adventure.

After blowing up a second alien planet, former war hero and current “disgrace” Colonel Carl Butler is living a quiet life as a recluse on a remote planet. While Butler is more than happy to be left alone by everyone, he knows that it is only a matter of time before the government or the military attempt to draft him into another crazy adventure. This time, a powerful and rich CEO wants the maverick Butler to head up an investigation into the disappearance of his estranged daughter on a newly formed colony.

Knowing the pain of losing a daughter, Butler reluctantly accepts the job and takes the next ship to Eccasis. Working with old associates Mac and Ganos, as well as a new government-assigned aide, Captain Fader, Butler soon finds himself leading an investigation in a controversial colony where a dangerous and lethal jungle environment lurks just outside the bio-dome. The missing woman, a talented biologist, disappeared whilst on a routine research mission for her father’s company out in the jungle. While most people believe that her disappearance can be blamed on the planet’s predatory megafauna, her father believes that there is more to the case.

While everything initially seems on the level, Butler soon becomes convinced that something more is afoot when someone tries to blow him up. As he begins his investigation in earnest, Butler is forced to contend with corrupt and incompetent local politicians, a hamstrung military presence, a militant environmental organisation and a greedy corporation determined to cover themselves. Once more caught in the crosshairs of dangerous people with sinister agendas, Butler is forced to bend all the rules to have a chance of surviving. But has Butler finally found a problem that even he cannot blow his way out of?

Colonyside is the latest awesome science fiction thriller from exciting author Michael Mammay. I am a major fan of Mammay, having deeply enjoyed his 2018 debut, Planetside, which followed Carl Butler as he attempted to find a missing soldier, only to find himself in the midst of an alien conspiracy. Planetside was an incredible novel with an impressively shocking and explosive ending, and it was not only one of my favourite books of 2018 but it is also one of my favourite debut novels of all time. Mammay followed this outstanding debut with a fantastic sequel in 2019 with Spaceside, which saw the protagonist get involved in another conspiracy, this one revolving around military contractors, which proved to be another amazing read and one of the best novels of 2019. Due to how much I enjoyed the first two Planetside novels, I have been looking forward to seeing how the series would continue in the future and I was extremely excited when I saw that the third novel, Colonyside, was coming out (especially as it had the cool cover above). My strong anticipation for this novel was not in vain, as Colonyside proved to be another exceptional read that gets a full five-star rating from me.

This outstanding novel contains an epic and addictive narrative that sets its unconventional protagonists on the path to uncover a massive and sinister conspiracy. Like the previous entries in this series, Mammay brings several genres together in this book, with Colonyside blending science fiction, military fiction and thriller elements into one fantastic story. This mixture of genres works extremely well together as the protagonist, a former soldier with a penchant for investigation, finds himself attempting to find the final fate of a missing person who disappeared from the jungle of an alien planet. This awesome premise leads into a clever and compelling narrative as the protagonist attempts to uncover and disrupt a massive conspiracy with galaxy-wide implications while also ensuring his own survival from a range of deadly opponents. Mammay comes up with a really impressive story here, and I loved all the complex twists and fantastic reveals throughout the novel as the protagonist builds up his case and then deals with the consequences of his discoveries. While I did find the start of the story a tad slow, it does not take long for the story to heat up and you find yourself getting more and more drawn into the compelling web of lies, intrigue, politics, and the occasional firefight. I particularly enjoyed the fantastic connections that Colonyside had to the previous entries in the series, as the motivations of the antagonists are directly tied into Butler’s prior actions and their dramatic consequences. While readers can easily start the Planetside series here with the third book, those readers familiar with Mammay’s prior two novels will really appreciate the way in which the story becomes linked, and I felt that it was a clever bit of storytelling. All of this leads up to an amazing and exciting conclusion that contains both an incredibly deadly scenario for the protagonists and a series of final reveals, many of which were very well set up and quite enjoyable to uncover. This makes for an impressive overall narrative that becomes very addictive as you just cannot wait to get to the bottom of the story.

One of the best things about Colonyside was the fact that it once again follows the adventures of the retired maverick solider, Colonel Carl Butler, who serves as the novel’s protagonist and point-of-view character. Butler is a clever, damaged and calculating military figure who knows that sometimes the only way to get things done is to break the rules and go off book, even if it costs him. This amazing character has gone through a lot of stuff over the course of the first two entries in the Planetside series, including nuking two separate alien planets. While he did have good reasons for his actions, Butler is now unsurprisingly an incredibly infamous figure in the galaxy, with a huge number of enemies across the political and social spectrum (it takes skill to be simultaneously hated by both environmentalists and big corporations). While he has committed some atrocities, Butler is still an incredibly likeable character, mainly because deep down he is a good person who is mainly trying to do the right thing, no matter the consequences. Butler proves to be a fun character to follow, especially as he as a very smart-assed way to him, producing a number of entertaining moments. The character is also a competent investigator and a surprisingly effective master manipulator, especially of military personal. I also quite liked the way in which the character has grown and evolved since the start of the series, and there are several examples throughout the book which show him learning from his mistakes in the earlier novels. He also has a much greater appreciation for all sorts of people and various forms of life within the universe, particularly after his experiences with sentient alien life forms, and these new insights have helped to turn him into a much more well-rounded protagonist. As a result, you really want for him to survive and succeed throughout the course of the novel, and your heart breaks a little each time he finds himself in danger or he is forced to compromise his morals for the greater good.

While there are a range of intriguing aspects to Butler’s character and portrayal, easily the most distinctive part of his inclusion in this novel is his unique narration. Butler provides a first-person narration for the entire novel, which results in the reader being privy to all his thoughts and feelings. While this may seem like typical first-person narration fare, it is actually pretty distinctive in Colonyside as Butler is constantly analysing everything that he says, does or hears and immediately relaying that back to the reader. This includes in some cases evaluating each sentence that another character utters, and then thinking hard about how he wants to respond before uttering his next bit of dialogue. While this way of writing the character’s thoughts and perceptions does take a little getting used to and may seem a little excessive at times, you soon grow to appreciate all the character’s valuable insights and opinions about the people he is dealing with. Not only is it refreshing to hear a protagonist admit when he is in the wrong or just being an arse (both of which happen frequently), but hearing his thoughts on the other characters and events occurring in front of him gives you additional insights into the complex investigation and makes the overall investigation even more intriguing. I also loved the way in which the protagonist plans out how he is going to manipulate or outmanoeuvre his various opponents throughout the novel, especially when he is talking to them, and it is entertaining to see his schemes unfold, whether they succeed or fail. All of this helps to turn Butler into a unique and enjoyable protagonist to follow and I cannot wait to see what happens to him in his next adventure.

Colonyside is also filled with a great range of side characters who add a lot to the story. The other three main characters are Butler’s team of Mac, Ganos and Captain Fader, all three of whom have some intriguing and enjoyable interactions with the protagonist. Mac, Butler’s personal bodyguard, who previously appeared in Planetside, is a solid and incredibly likeable non-commissioned soldier who loyally serves Butler and tries to keep him safe, even from his own stupid decisions. Despite being outranked by Butler, Mac does not take any crap from him, and the two characters have a fantastic and enjoyable bond throughout the book. The other recurring character is Ganos, the tough, anti-authoritarian hacker who helped Butler in Spaceside. Ganos starts the novel off having some major issues with Butler, especially after the fallout from their escapades in the second novel. This requires Butler to try and rebuild her trust in him throughout the novel, and their struggling friendship becomes a dramatic and enjoyable plot point throughout Colonyside. This team is joined by new member, Captain Fader, a by-the-book officer who has been assigned to Butler as his aid, while also being ordered to report on his actions. Fader, an extremely efficient, organised and bright individual, becomes a key part of the protagonist’s investigation, and she serves as a useful sounding board for Butler’s various theories about the disappearance and overarching conspiracy. The clash of styles between the two characters becomes an intriguing part of the novel, as Fader struggles to deal with Butler’s rule breaking. Nonetheless, Butler and Fader form a great mentor relationship throughout the course of the novel, and it was great to see the various ways in which Butler influenced the younger officer. Aside from these three excellent written comrades for Butler, Colonyside is also filled with a range of compelling side characters, including some figures from the previous novels, as well as the various inhabitants of the colony. Mammay does a great job introducing the fantastic range of extra characters featured in the book and many of them become key suspects in the novel’s overarching mystery. This complex collection of suspects adds some great layers to the main story, and it proved to be quite entertaining to see Butler attempt to interact with them to get his way.

The great story and fantastic characters are backed up by an outstanding and unique science fiction setting that serves as the perfect backdrop to this amazing novel. The settlement of Eccasis is large bio-dome surrounded by a planet of harsh and inhospitable jungle. The jungle is full of dangers, including dangerous megafauna, poisonous insects and all manner of bacteria that makes going outside without a suit an unbelievably bad idea. Naturally, the protagonist spends a great deal of time out in this hostile environment and there are some great scenes set out there. While the jungle is extremely dangerous in its own way, it turns out to be a cakewalk compared to the main setting inside the colony’s dome. The inhabitable interior of the Eccasis settlement is a political powder keg filled with all manner of competing interests: greedy corporations, a radical environmental group, a corrupt civilian government and an understaffed military attempting to keep the peace despite their lack of equipment and manpower. This diverse group of competing personalities helps to enhance the intriguing story and it proved to be very compelling to see the protagonist attempt to get to the bottom of their various motivations and agendas. It was also intriguing to see how Butler’s previous actions have impacted the overarching universe that the series is set in. After his prior adventures where he nuked two separate planets with the intention of killing aliens, a series of strict environmental laws have been passed, limiting expansion and corporate interest. This leads to a bunch of clever storylines within the novel, and I really enjoyed seeing some fallout from the events of the earlier books, especially because it has such a major impact on this third book’s plot. There is also a real anti-corporation theme to this novel, mainly because the protagonist is a lot more suspicious of corporate organisations after the events of Spaceside, and it will be interesting to see if this will be a recurring theme in future books. I had a lot of fun with this cool science fiction setting and I really enjoyed the way in which the author worked into the plot, helping to create an excellent story.

I ended up listening to the audiobook format of Colonyside, which proved to be an excellent and fantastic treat. This format of Colonyside has a reasonable run time of just over 10 hours, making it an easy audiobook to get through quickly, especially when you get caught up in its intrigue-laden story. I found that this epic novel flew by for me in this format and I felt that I absorbed a lot more about the setting and characters while listening to it. Probably the main reason that I liked this format was the fact that the audiobook is narrated by the very talented R. C. Bray, who previously narrated Planetside and Spaceside. Bray, who has an impressive selection of science fiction and thriller narrations to his resume, has an awesome, deep voice that perfectly fits the protagonist, Carl Butler. I really liked the authoritative and confident tone that Bray used for this central character, and the listener ended up with a fantastic sense of who Butler is and what his emotional state is throughout the audiobook. While I did occasionally find it hard to differentiate between the protagonist’s dialogue and inner thoughts in this format, this was a particularly minor issue and I still had an incredible time listening to this book and I would strongly recommend the audiobook version for anyone interested in checking out Colonyside.

Colonyside by Michael Mammay is an incredible and deeply captivating read that pits an outstanding and enjoyable protagonist on a high-stakes, mysterious adventure. This latest novel from Mammay is an amazing third entry in one of the best science fiction thriller series out there, and I love the clever and addictive plot contained within this book. A highly recommended read, I cannot wait to see how the next entry in this fantastic series turns out.

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