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impalalove's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
hyperballadbybjork's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The rating of a 2 stars disappoints me. Not only do I usually like a good mystery, good science fiction novels and critiques of the rich, Escape Velocity misses the mark, it was also one of my most anticipated of the year
Sadly the book isn’t good. None of the characters are likable and it’s hard to get invested in. The central mystery is boring and uninteresting, and the Altaire plot lines are all over the place, featuring a really out of place scene in the moon pools which hindered that section for me, what was that?
A positive is the diversity between the characters, I don’t think the Manibo’s writing style is all that bad and I guess some of it was entertaining, even though I wanted to DNF it around 60 percent in
Sadly the book isn’t good. None of the characters are likable and it’s hard to get invested in. The central mystery is boring and uninteresting, and the Altaire plot lines are all over the place, featuring a really out of place scene in the moon pools which hindered that section for me, what was that?
A positive is the diversity between the characters, I don’t think the Manibo’s writing style is all that bad and I guess some of it was entertaining, even though I wanted to DNF it around 60 percent in
monbie's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
iamdoug's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
gasoline_allie's review
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thought provoking, unexpected, and more fun than I expected it to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Drug use and Transphobia
tgebst's review against another edition
No actual complaint about the book! I was taken in by the premise + promise of Space Hotel and forgot that The Sleepless showed me I just don’t really like Victor Manibo’s prose (or possibly Joel de la Fuente’s narration style). Life is too short for me to keep reading a library book when a bunch of other people have it on hold.
b3cccaj's review
adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
**Warning small spoilers may be larger than they appear**
Thank you Kensington Books and Victor Manibo (Via Netgalley) for the advance reading copy of Escape Velocity in exchange for an honest review.
I was really attracted to the cover art of Escape Velocity, and was equally attracted by the blurb. Part Sci-fi, part mystery, part dystopia, part action, this book packs a lot of genres into its 368 pages.
I enjoyed the writing style in the book. I loved the concept of a working class revolt against an upper class elite in an effort to secure an exclusive place in the new Mars settlement, safe from the dying Earth. I also liked the concept of the merit system designed to benefit the upper 1% who have the means and resources to accrue points from elitist experiences. I would have loved a deeper dive into this system, and more description on the dire state on Earth, giving further weight to the desperation of the situation unfolding. Similarly, I would have loved more background into the hospitality staff personalities and history, and how they had organized themselves into revolution.
Whilst the mystery was an enjoyable addition, at times it felt a little removed from the story unfolding on the Altaire Space Habitat, and at times detracted from the tension mounting on board between staff and guests.
Overall this was an enjoyable and interesting read, however it did leave me wanting more detail to flesh out the politics driving the story.
Thank you Kensington Books and Victor Manibo (Via Netgalley) for the advance reading copy of Escape Velocity in exchange for an honest review.
I was really attracted to the cover art of Escape Velocity, and was equally attracted by the blurb. Part Sci-fi, part mystery, part dystopia, part action, this book packs a lot of genres into its 368 pages.
I enjoyed the writing style in the book. I loved the concept of a working class revolt against an upper class elite in an effort to secure an exclusive place in the new Mars settlement, safe from the dying Earth. I also liked the concept of the merit system designed to benefit the upper 1% who have the means and resources to accrue points from elitist experiences. I would have loved a deeper dive into this system, and more description on the dire state on Earth, giving further weight to the desperation of the situation unfolding. Similarly, I would have loved more background into the hospitality staff personalities and history, and how they had organized themselves into revolution.
Whilst the mystery was an enjoyable addition, at times it felt a little removed from the story unfolding on the Altaire Space Habitat, and at times detracted from the tension mounting on board between staff and guests.
Overall this was an enjoyable and interesting read, however it did leave me wanting more detail to flesh out the politics driving the story.
wisecraic's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
** I received an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**
Victor Manibo's newest novel is a murder mystery set on board Space Habitat Altaire, a luxury resort playing host to the Rochford Institute class reunion. When this particular class was in their graduating year 25 years ago, Ava Khan's twin, Ashwin, was murdered. Though Ava was accused and Daniela took the fall, Ava knows that neither of them are guilty and she is determined to find out what happened. Everyone else has their own motivations for attending the reunion as well, first and foremost looking to jockey for a guaranteed spot in the Mars colony. With the abundance of wealth, corruption, and secrets, every person aboard the Altaire is sure to have their own agenda and it is easy for secrets to turn deadly.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should have DNFed this book. I am a fast reader. Genuinely, a multiple book per day is not unheard of or uncommon type of reader. It took me 12 days to get to 38% in this 368 page book. I'm not sure whether it was something about the writing, something about the slow pace with unfolding detail but very little action, or just knowing that every character involved in this story is genuinely living in morally grey zone and are not people to root for. I was able to finish the rest of the book in a single day due to borrowing the audiobook on Everand.
I liked the casual queerness and various types of queer relationships and representation of various ethnicities. In theory, this really should have been a story for me. Unfortunately, it just wasn't. Finishing the book actually brought the rating down for me as the pacing and choice of the ending was just completely dissatisfying for me.
I fully recognize there wasn't anything inherently wrong with this story, but I think it was likely a mismatch with me as a reader. I hope this book finds its target audience.
Victor Manibo's newest novel is a murder mystery set on board Space Habitat Altaire, a luxury resort playing host to the Rochford Institute class reunion. When this particular class was in their graduating year 25 years ago, Ava Khan's twin, Ashwin, was murdered. Though Ava was accused and Daniela took the fall, Ava knows that neither of them are guilty and she is determined to find out what happened. Everyone else has their own motivations for attending the reunion as well, first and foremost looking to jockey for a guaranteed spot in the Mars colony. With the abundance of wealth, corruption, and secrets, every person aboard the Altaire is sure to have their own agenda and it is easy for secrets to turn deadly.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should have DNFed this book. I am a fast reader. Genuinely, a multiple book per day is not unheard of or uncommon type of reader. It took me 12 days to get to 38% in this 368 page book. I'm not sure whether it was something about the writing, something about the slow pace with unfolding detail but very little action, or just knowing that every character involved in this story is genuinely living in morally grey zone and are not people to root for. I was able to finish the rest of the book in a single day due to borrowing the audiobook on Everand.
I liked the casual queerness and various types of queer relationships and representation of various ethnicities. In theory, this really should have been a story for me. Unfortunately, it just wasn't. Finishing the book actually brought the rating down for me as the pacing and choice of the ending was just completely dissatisfying for me.
I fully recognize there wasn't anything inherently wrong with this story, but I think it was likely a mismatch with me as a reader. I hope this book finds its target audience.
julesg's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.25
Not what I expected, based on the blurb.
It's the end of the 21st century. A class reunion on a luxury space station. There are two ensembles of characters, the ones "below stairs" and the ones "above stairs".
The rich people "above stairs" have rich-people-problems. Foremost, how to outwit the MERIT system that could get them to Mars. They have known each other since school. They have drifted apart, but are happy to reconnect, again mostly to exploit their connections to their own advantage.
The crew "below stairs" is fed up with being invisible, having less value than the rich people. They work on the luxury space station to fund their families' lives down on Earth, which becomes less habitable by the minute.
This could have worked, but it was packed with a bit too much of everything, in my opinion:
- too many POV
- so many plot angles: dying Earth, "Capitalism is bad!", exploited workforce is enraged, murder mystery?, MERIT system benefits the rich straight population, another murder mystery in the past timeline, ...
- not a single like-able character
- why all the kinky stuff?
It's the end of the 21st century. A class reunion on a luxury space station. There are two ensembles of characters, the ones "below stairs" and the ones "above stairs".
The rich people "above stairs" have rich-people-problems. Foremost, how to outwit the MERIT system that could get them to Mars. They have known each other since school. They have drifted apart, but are happy to reconnect, again mostly to exploit their connections to their own advantage.
The crew "below stairs" is fed up with being invisible, having less value than the rich people. They work on the luxury space station to fund their families' lives down on Earth, which becomes less habitable by the minute.
This could have worked, but it was packed with a bit too much of everything, in my opinion:
- too many POV
- so many plot angles: dying Earth, "Capitalism is bad!", exploited workforce is enraged, murder mystery?, MERIT system benefits the rich straight population, another murder mystery in the past timeline, ...
- not a single like-able character
- why all the kinky stuff?
murp23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0