Marauder / Gary Gibson

Marauder

category: science fiction, author:

Gary Gibson

book 1 (probably) of ??
original copyright 2013

read in December 2013

Agamedes' opinion: 6 out of 10 (read to pass the time)

There's a lot of, She did this, then he did that, then she did something else... That is: the recitation of a series of actions. With very little (or nothing) in the way of clever writing.

The story is entertaining enough. And straightforward. She escapes, she runs, she runs straight back to the villains and is captured again. Nothing very clever: the plot is not clever, nor are the main characters.

The secret surprise -- is hardly any secret. Though it does make me wonder...

"Marauder... is a standalone work." So it is written, just before the story starts. Yet it seems to me -- having not read any earlier books by Gibson -- that a key character in Marauder is continuing her adventures from three previous books. And the Epilogue in this book is a clear pointer to a series of subsequent stories...

So it's "standalone" in that the story makes sense without having to have read previous books. But it is clearly one of a series... Which is good, really.

The somewhat illogical plot is helped along by a touch of deus ex machina, where previous books are essential to the action in Marauder. The ending -- escape from the various villains -- is pure deus ex machina.

Despite its faults, it's an easy read. Unless you dislike excessive violence. I mean, how many people need to be brutally or incidentally killed simply to clear the decks for action by the main characters ?!

Ah well.

Easy to read. A complex SF universe. No need to closely question the simplistic plot.

Read Marauder to pass the time.
===

18sep18: I reread the book

One good thing -- I couldn't remember any of this book. When I unintentionally reread a book I usually read a few chapters with a growing awareness of familiarity. Or, more correctly, deja vu. This time -- nothing at all. Hmmm... is that a "good thing" ? Or is the book so utterly *un*memorable that none of it sticks in my mind ?!

Not to worry, I still rate this book as six. Read to pass the time. With a few added observations:

This is a nasty book. Excessive violence ? Yes. And -- in my opinion -- often pointless. "You can't make an omelette..." Think of the book as an omelette and every character as an egg. Waiting to be broken. Perhaps I'm being over-sensitive ? I find some chapters to be, nasty.

And another thing... This book is set (I think) more than 500 years in the future. With the medical / mechanical ability to rebuild a human body, to recover a person from death's door -- is there no simple, universal birth control ?! With 500 years' of social advancement -- it is still the responsibility of the woman to manage birth control ?! Well, actually, I'd say that "social advancement" has been somewhat in reverse. Back towards the barbarians.

Why does the heroine believe that *she* is the one person who can save the universe ? It turns out -- plot spoiler -- that she can be rebuilt. With all her memories and abilities, plus more. Why not simply retire, and let a fresh clone -- or several dozen improved models -- sail out to save the universe ?

Apart from all of its weaknesses... this is good, solid, science fiction. Shading towards space opera. High action & adventure. Super science largely unexplained.  It's unfortunate that the final chapters just throw logic to the wind in an effort to wrap up the central plot. And to set the scene for yet more books in the series.

..o0o..

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