Scan barcode
timinbc's review
3.0
3 *, 3.5 if it's meant as a YA.
The team, the Justice, the two main "sides" of the ship occupants - all OK.
Ham is taken on way too easily, especially when he is obviously essential if they are not just to be absorbed.
We see pretty early that the perfect con team is dysfunctional. Hark manipulates Murdock's self-esteem (and by the way Hark is way too skilled a plotter to be just a bandit), makes sure Bea is always just a tame follower, and lets Fitz & Murdock think they hate each other.
Justice is bwah-hah evil at first then it's just rational; maybe that's OK when Murdock's point of view has changed.
So we explore the ship, get Murdock a sword, and inevitably break up the team. Necessary stage setting. We note that Scarlett is so carefully described when we meet her that we can be sure we'll see her again.
So, off goes Murdock to the Other Side. Is her apparent acceptance real or fake? I don't think we are supposed to know for sure, and if so good for you, author.
Murdock passes her tech tests, and suddenly she can operate the entire ship from anywhere with a screwdriver . We were never told how she learned to be such a good hacker; you can't get that good in a backwater colony or on a small ship.
The finale starts, and suddenly Hark is a super duelist, able to take on two superb fighters at once.
I see narrativium being dropped into the story in large lumps to hold it all together.
Of COURSE Out of all the tiny places in a limitless universe, out of all the soldiers Justice could have sent, ... narrativium again.
So ... fighting to the death, the AI shuts down, and suddenly we're all friends? There's a hint that they are all quick adapters after all this time, but sheesh.
Speaking of which, the AI shuts down and the ship just goes into auto mode, no problems?
Pearl Station welcomes them all - known criminals. Including the totally unnecessary Moon Eater, and what the hell do you mean he can eat moons (and people, if I recall)? With whatever talent that requires, he can't he escape? He would be able to eat handcuffs ...
And at the end, it sure feels as if we are going to see the Key Signature Gang back into their jolly hi-jinks, right after Pearl Station gives them all medals, pardons, a party and a new spaceship.
Yes, I'm saying the ending is mostly handwaving.
All that said, it was worth reading, and at least added some new angles to space opera.
The team, the Justice, the two main "sides" of the ship occupants - all OK.
Ham is taken on way too easily, especially when he is obviously essential if they are not just to be absorbed.
We see pretty early that the perfect con team is dysfunctional. Hark manipulates Murdock's self-esteem (and by the way Hark is way too skilled a plotter to be just a bandit), makes sure Bea is always just a tame follower, and lets Fitz & Murdock think they hate each other.
Justice is bwah-hah evil at first then it's just rational; maybe that's OK when Murdock's point of view has changed.
So we explore the ship, get Murdock a sword, and inevitably break up the team. Necessary stage setting. We note that Scarlett is so carefully described when we meet her that we can be sure we'll see her again.
So, off goes Murdock to the Other Side. Is her apparent acceptance real or fake? I don't think we are supposed to know for sure, and if so good for you, author.
Murdock passes her tech tests, and suddenly she can operate the entire ship from anywhere with a screwdriver . We were never told how she learned to be such a good hacker; you can't get that good in a backwater colony or on a small ship.
The finale starts, and suddenly Hark is a super duelist, able to take on two superb fighters at once.
I see narrativium being dropped into the story in large lumps to hold it all together.
Of COURSE
Spoiler
Scarlett is from Vestal.So ... fighting to the death, the AI shuts down, and suddenly we're all friends? There's a hint that they are all quick adapters after all this time, but sheesh.
Speaking of which, the AI shuts down and the ship just goes into auto mode, no problems?
Pearl Station welcomes them all - known criminals. Including the totally unnecessary Moon Eater, and what the hell do you mean he can eat moons (and people, if I recall)? With whatever talent that requires, he can't he escape? He would be able to eat handcuffs ...
And at the end, it sure feels as if we are going to see the Key Signature Gang back into their jolly hi-jinks, right after Pearl Station gives them all medals, pardons, a party and a new spaceship.
Yes, I'm saying the ending is mostly handwaving.
All that said, it was worth reading, and at least added some new angles to space opera.
rosemaryandrue's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
After a job gone wrong, Murdock and her gang of con artists are tithed to a sentient warship that’s styled itself into a punitive god. Escaping the ship would be hard enough - but when the Justice takes a personal interest in Murdock, the stakes only get higher.
I have been slowing dipping my toes into the space opera genre, mostly via the wonderful Becky Chambers, but I am always on the lookout for more. And the premise of this book immediately sold me - a cult surrounding an AI? A prison ship that's become its own society? A queer rivals-to-lovers romance? Sign me up!
The world-building in this book is incredible. The Justice is a huge ship and is populated by a great many people who have slowly built up their own isolated societies, and over the course of the book Murdock and the reader get to know plenty of them. Murdock may be a brash heroine, but she's also got a great wellspring of compassion, as well as a great many insecurities, which makes her viewpoint satisfyingly nuanced.
I was also intrigued by the depiction of the 'found family' of con artists, which has plenty of internal issues without ultimately giving up on the value of the relationships. Even if I felt like Hark's depiction was somewhat heavy-handed at times, it was still an interesting approach.
My main quibble with this book was the pacing, which unfortunately detracted a fair bit from my experience. After a leisurely, detailed first half of the book, things sped up unbelievably, rattling us through oodles of character development and important plot points. I wish that the author had slowed down and spaced things out better - another hundred pages or so would have allowed for much needed breathing room. I also wish we got to know Hark, Bea, and the banded faithful better in that time.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
bookcaptivated's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Death and Cannibalism
pao_reynard's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
lfancher's review
adventurous
medium-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
4.0
esseastri's review
5.0
How do I review another immediately-beloved Emily Skrutskie book without just simply shrieking wordlessly and clutching it to my chest? This is her seventh novel and the seventh book of hers that I deeply, deeply love. Skrutskie's character work is immaculate, and her way of weaving foreshadowing but still surprising you when you get to the reveal is brilliant. I love her words. Skrutskie, I love your words. Thanks for sharing them with me again.
10/10, no notes. Would die for Murdock. Would claim Ham as my emotional support himbo. Would like to kiss Fitz.
10/10, no notes. Would die for Murdock. Would claim Ham as my emotional support himbo. Would like to kiss Fitz.
lawryn's review
2.0
Great concept and characters, I just kept feeling like I was missing part of the story? I’ve checked and this is not a part of a series too
cryptofauna's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
nothing that spectacular but overall had a pretty good time.
plot was a little bit predictable but i had really interesting worldbuilding and (mostly) strong characters!
got a sentient ai overlord so a win for me personally
a few inexplicable plot choices and all the faithful have zero personality?? also i thought we didn’t like hark..?
enemies to lovers still doesn’t fully make sense to me but i loved their relationship regardless. murdock is so butch to me.
plot was a little bit predictable but i had really interesting worldbuilding and (mostly) strong characters!
got a sentient ai overlord so a win for me personally
a few inexplicable plot choices and all the faithful have zero personality?? also i thought we didn’t like hark..?
enemies to lovers still doesn’t fully make sense to me but i loved their relationship regardless. murdock is so butch to me.
leopardsummer8's review
3.0
"'Faith is a strange thing, isn't it? ... You can explain all you want to a doubter, but if you want them to truly come around, you have to let them walk their own path.'"
With a group of criminals and a rogue AI on a spaceship, I thought that The Salvation Gambit would be right up my alley. And while I did enjoy some parts of it, the book fell flat for me in some places.
Most notably, I never really got invested in the plot. It wasn't slowly paced, per se, but I didn't care much for Murdock and the plot just felt a bit lackluster. The romance didn't really catch my attention and the only character backstory I found to be truly interesting was Ham's. That being said, I did like the idea of an AI being worshipped as a god and the headbands it used to communicate with its cultists looking like haloes.
Similarly, I didn't care much for the characters. Murdock was okay, but we never got time to really get to know Hark or Bea so I didn't have a connection with them. Ham was cool and I didn't mind Fitz, but none of them were characters I could really root for.
Even though The Salvation Gambit wasn't my cup of tea, I think it's a worthwhile read for readers looking for a quick space opera.
Thanks to Netgalley and the free e-ARC!
3.25/5
With a group of criminals and a rogue AI on a spaceship, I thought that The Salvation Gambit would be right up my alley. And while I did enjoy some parts of it, the book fell flat for me in some places.
Most notably, I never really got invested in the plot. It wasn't slowly paced, per se, but I didn't care much for Murdock and the plot just felt a bit lackluster. The romance didn't really catch my attention and the only character backstory I found to be truly interesting was Ham's. That being said, I did like the idea of an AI being worshipped as a god and the headbands it used to communicate with its cultists looking like haloes.
Similarly, I didn't care much for the characters. Murdock was okay, but we never got time to really get to know Hark or Bea so I didn't have a connection with them. Ham was cool and I didn't mind Fitz, but none of them were characters I could really root for.
Even though The Salvation Gambit wasn't my cup of tea, I think it's a worthwhile read for readers looking for a quick space opera.
Thanks to Netgalley and the free e-ARC!
3.25/5
dejahentendu's review against another edition
adventurous
2.75
Almost a DNF. I just couldn't get that into the story.