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timinbc's review against another edition
3.0
I note that this was written in 2001, but it hasn't aged, the theme being realtivelyt timeless and the science not leading-edge. Russo doesn't seem to have done much writing since 2008.
This book trots along nicely, builds the tension in a pretty standard BDO plot, ramps up to what looks to be a Big Finish, then goes pffft.
Others have commented effectively on this book, so skim the 2-star reviews as well as the better ones.
I'm left wondering if this was meant to be musings on faith and good/evil, and the space plot is just a framework for it.
I admit that the many BDO-derelict-alient-ship stories I have read have never done what this one does:
The mysterious bishop seemed to be a different person every time he came onstage.
"Father Veronica" was an interesting idea and a decent character. Our hero was a bit blah, especially when we are asked to believe that he rises quickly from pariah to next-Captain. It's as if he stayed put while everyone else took a step back.
I didn't find the harvesters plausible for various reasons. It seemed inconsistent re how they work. For matter collectors they seemed to do a lot of burning, for example.
So we have this protean ship that has gravity, or not; air, or not; weird corridors that kill, and much more. All that writing, and the author just walks away from it with NO explanation except that It Might Be Evil. Feh.
Near the end, we finally learn a tiny bit of what the Bishop's been up to with his secret trips.
All I can say about the religious philosophy part is that it was mercifully short.
Oh well. I liked Carlucci #1. maybe I'll look for #2.
This book trots along nicely, builds the tension in a pretty standard BDO plot, ramps up to what looks to be a Big Finish, then goes pffft.
Others have commented effectively on this book, so skim the 2-star reviews as well as the better ones.
I'm left wondering if this was meant to be musings on faith and good/evil, and the space plot is just a framework for it.
I admit that the many BDO-derelict-alient-ship stories I have read have never done what this one does:
Spoiler
uncertain --> scary --> scarier --> nope, let's run away! --> The End.The mysterious bishop seemed to be a different person every time he came onstage.
Spoiler
hey, maybe he got replaced at Antioch by an alien ..."Father Veronica" was an interesting idea and a decent character. Our hero was a bit blah, especially when we are asked to believe that he rises quickly from pariah to next-Captain. It's as if he stayed put while everyone else took a step back.
I didn't find the harvesters plausible for various reasons. It seemed inconsistent re how they work. For matter collectors they seemed to do a lot of burning, for example.
So we have this protean ship that has gravity, or not; air, or not; weird corridors that kill, and much more. All that writing, and the author just walks away from it with NO explanation except that It Might Be Evil. Feh.
Near the end, we finally learn a tiny bit of what the Bishop's been up to with his secret trips.
Spoiler
He has a dingus that flips gravity. Well, great. Why would it exist? How was he able to find it? How did he learn to use it without so much as a hangnail? Why would it allow flipping the gravity in Argonos's cathedral, when (a) it was built for the alien ship, repeat ALIEN, and (b) presumably you can't just project gravity into a space; there would have to be plates or wires or SOMEthing that would receive command from the dingus.All I can say about the religious philosophy part is that it was mercifully short.
Oh well. I liked Carlucci #1. maybe I'll look for #2.
angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
4.0
Running through a few winners of the Philip K. Dick Award and this was another superb read. I wasn’t familiar with the author or the book before I picked it up, but upon completion I certainly see why it received such accolades. Great read.
vari's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jenja's review against another edition
this beginning is really slow and boring
a lot of telling, no showing, and characters are already talking far to much about stuff i haven't even been able to start caring about yet
a lot of telling, no showing, and characters are already talking far to much about stuff i haven't even been able to start caring about yet
drblockbooks's review against another edition
Strange book. It seemed like it could have been a short story or else the first book in a trilogy. It works fine as a standalone novel, but leaves a lot of unanswered questions about the fate of some characters--which, I suppose was the author's point. A lot is mysterious. In fact, the book has a few chapters that felt like a horror novel (not a gory one, just freaky). Reminiscent of the movie Alien in many respects.
If you like sci-fi, worth a read.
If you like sci-fi, worth a read.
raggedyman1342's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Torture
billymac1962's review against another edition
5.0
Science Fiction used to be my jam. Back in the 80s and 90s, when my reading addiction really took hold, this was when I was reading the greats from such authors as Arthur C. Clarke, John Varley, etc.
Into the 2000s, unfortunately, my interest was waning because I just couldn't find anything that could capture me like the masters did. Far too many recent submissions to the genre became too politically charged and self-important. I just wanted a sense of wonder and escape.
I've started hitting Reddit quite a bit recently. The book groups there are fantastic, with very respectful and helpful members. I decided to search for one of my favourite sci-fi reads of all time, Rendezvous With Rama, and see what lists I could find that had other favourites listed with it. That's how I found out about Ship of Fools. I had never even heard of it, which just goes to show how distanced I had gotten from the genre (it was nominated for the Locus award in 2002).
This book really hit my check boxes. There was good character development, and, similar to Rendezvous With Rama, a sense of discovery and suspenseful mystery surrounding first contact with aliens. Oh, and some dashes of horror to really ratchet things up.
One of Russo's skills that really impressed me was creating a sense of space (no pun intended) without confusing over-descriptiveness (something else that can drive me from the genre). At no point whatsoever was I unable to totally visualize what he was describing. It is truly a gift to do that with simple descriptions.
The list that I found on Reddit that had this book was appropriate. The novel is, in one aspect, quite similar to Rendezvous With Rama. As far as the ending went, I was a little disappointed that some things weren't fully resolved. But mostly I'm okay with that. I am even more okay that this is a standalone (these are becoming unicorns)!
I'll give this a strong four stars, and my heartfelt thanks to Richard Paul Russo for bringing me back to the genre.
Actually, no. My little bit of pickiness doesn't deserve a star docking. It's a big thing for me to find Sci-Fi that I like, and this really was a cool story.
Five it is! Well done, RPR.
Into the 2000s, unfortunately, my interest was waning because I just couldn't find anything that could capture me like the masters did. Far too many recent submissions to the genre became too politically charged and self-important. I just wanted a sense of wonder and escape.
I've started hitting Reddit quite a bit recently. The book groups there are fantastic, with very respectful and helpful members. I decided to search for one of my favourite sci-fi reads of all time, Rendezvous With Rama, and see what lists I could find that had other favourites listed with it. That's how I found out about Ship of Fools. I had never even heard of it, which just goes to show how distanced I had gotten from the genre (it was nominated for the Locus award in 2002).
This book really hit my check boxes. There was good character development, and, similar to Rendezvous With Rama, a sense of discovery and suspenseful mystery surrounding first contact with aliens. Oh, and some dashes of horror to really ratchet things up.
One of Russo's skills that really impressed me was creating a sense of space (no pun intended) without confusing over-descriptiveness (something else that can drive me from the genre). At no point whatsoever was I unable to totally visualize what he was describing. It is truly a gift to do that with simple descriptions.
The list that I found on Reddit that had this book was appropriate. The novel is, in one aspect, quite similar to Rendezvous With Rama. As far as the ending went, I was a little disappointed that some things weren't fully resolved. But mostly I'm okay with that. I am even more okay that this is a standalone (these are becoming unicorns)!
I'll give this a strong four stars, and my heartfelt thanks to Richard Paul Russo for bringing me back to the genre.
Actually, no. My little bit of pickiness doesn't deserve a star docking. It's a big thing for me to find Sci-Fi that I like, and this really was a cool story.
Five it is! Well done, RPR.
squimbus's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0