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rebelbelle13's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This novel was pitched as a combination of The Expanse and Game of Thrones. In reality, it's really more a combination of The Expanse and Firefly. If you've got withdrawal from either one of those series, The Last Watch is your next stop. It tells the story of a group of soldiers at the edge of known space who have to go rogue and work together to keep the universe intact, all while dodging aliens known as Drudgers.
There are a few characters here that fall into the typical stereotypes- our MC Rake is a fusion of Captain Mal and Jim Holden- she knows how to lead, strives to always do the right thing, and refuses to leave any of her crew behind, sometimes to the point of foolishness. Griffith is the stoic, macho and gruff veteran with a soft spot for Rake, and Emery is the young, impressionable 'whatever' girl, up for anything. Besides that, Dewes mixes it up. Our other MC, Cavalon, is banished royalty- but he's not spoiled, and is all to happy to help dig in and get his hands dirty. His years spent in university certainly come in handy as well. Jackin, the pilot, has a past he won't reveal, but even though he's slow to trust others, he doesn't let down his teammates. And then there's Mesa, called a 'Savant', which are genetically enhanced seers of some kind- ridiculously smart, and very little emotion- think a vulcan from Star Trek.
Cavalon started out as someone I thought I wouldn't like, but he quickly grew on me, and I was rooting for him to prove his worth and become part of the team. The plot flew by at a ridiculously fast pace- there was always something happening to move the story along, which was nice. I also really liked their 'imprint' system- genetic microbot enhancements that speed healing, protect against threats and damage, and assist in strength related activities when needed. This is really the key that sets Last Watch apart from other similar science fiction stories of the moment.
There's a few detractors here. One, it feels *awfully* close to The Expanse. Two, they have their own curse word that seems to be on at least every other page, and it gets annoying, fast. Three, by the end of the first book, we still don't know much of anything about Earth, the 'Core', the Viators, or even what year this takes place. These will probably be answered in future novels, but it would be nice to have some of that setting information up front.
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this science fiction entry, and I would definitely consider picking up future installments of the series.
There are a few characters here that fall into the typical stereotypes- our MC Rake is a fusion of Captain Mal and Jim Holden- she knows how to lead, strives to always do the right thing, and refuses to leave any of her crew behind, sometimes to the point of foolishness. Griffith is the stoic, macho and gruff veteran with a soft spot for Rake, and Emery is the young, impressionable 'whatever' girl, up for anything. Besides that, Dewes mixes it up. Our other MC, Cavalon, is banished royalty- but he's not spoiled, and is all to happy to help dig in and get his hands dirty. His years spent in university certainly come in handy as well. Jackin, the pilot, has a past he won't reveal, but even though he's slow to trust others, he doesn't let down his teammates. And then there's Mesa, called a 'Savant', which are genetically enhanced seers of some kind- ridiculously smart, and very little emotion- think a vulcan from Star Trek.
Cavalon started out as someone I thought I wouldn't like, but he quickly grew on me, and I was rooting for him to prove his worth and become part of the team. The plot flew by at a ridiculously fast pace- there was always something happening to move the story along, which was nice. I also really liked their 'imprint' system- genetic microbot enhancements that speed healing, protect against threats and damage, and assist in strength related activities when needed. This is really the key that sets Last Watch apart from other similar science fiction stories of the moment.
There's a few detractors here. One, it feels *awfully* close to The Expanse. Two, they have their own curse word that seems to be on at least every other page, and it gets annoying, fast. Three, by the end of the first book, we still don't know much of anything about Earth, the 'Core', the Viators, or even what year this takes place. These will probably be answered in future novels, but it would be nice to have some of that setting information up front.
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this science fiction entry, and I would definitely consider picking up future installments of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Death
nekoshka's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, and Vomit
Moderate: War and Addiction
Minor: Alcoholism and Death of parent
pvbobrien's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Terminal illness, War, and Xenophobia
ginger95's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
A must read for fans of Mass Effect or any other space centered science fiction! Great wold building, fast paced and a book that I was hooked by the first page. Lovable characters as well!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence
erynlasbelin's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Raise your hand if you're pre-ordering the sequel before the first book is even released. 🙋🏻♀️
I'm already anticipating that this will be a new favorite series. What an awesome ride this first entry was.
(Actual review tk)
I'm already anticipating that this will be a new favorite series. What an awesome ride this first entry was.
(Actual review tk)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Addiction, Genocide, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, Medical content, and Terminal illness
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