Review of Hades' Star
1 posts
[i][Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hades' Star" by Doug Wallace.][/i] [rwc=id407144-125]4 out of 4 stars.[/rwc]Hades’ Star: Hostile Takeover, written by Doug Wallace, is a sci-fi book inspired by an online game. It revolves around a mission to an unexplored galaxy named Hades (for its resemblance with Milton’s description of hell). The protagonist, Lieutenant Paul Johnson, who later becomes Commander Johnson, narrates the story using the first person. Aboard the Icarus, readers follow the many perils faced by Paul – chief logistics officer of the spaceship – and also his romance with Commander Desiree Pearson (aka Dezzie).
At the beginning of the book, the Terran Federation of Planets, owner of the Icarus, gets dissolved; a huge corporation named Galaxia takes over. Commander Simms, President/CEO of Galaxia, becomes the new captain of the ship. Hades is a dangerous place, and we are swept from one battle to the next, following the crew as they tackle missions to discover alien artifacts and technology, manage interstellar gates and wormholes, and colonize an Earth-like planet (Eden). Mysterious hostile alien ships (Cerberus) are a constant threat.
The book’s plot is intricate and elaborate, with much more than one could expect from a sci-fi book. There are many erudite references and quotes, which I thoroughly enjoyed – Churchill, Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Lewis Carroll are some examples. The author explores a creative parallel between a love triangle (I cannot give it away!) and the biblical tale of King David, Uriah the Hittite, and Bathsheba.
The protagonist is a lovely character, with an unassuming and wholesome personality. As a kid, after losing his parents and siblings, he lived with his grandpa on a ranch in Montana. Although he is a fierce battleship commander, he could very well be the guy next door. He gets involved in a love triangle of sorts, which I felt added to the story. However, I thought some of his remarks were a bit silly and womanizing; for instance: “I stopped for a moment, distracted by her ample chest.” This was the only negative. Even so, he still comes across as a likable character, and I enjoyed rooting for him throughout the book.
Without a doubt, I give Hades’ Star: Hostile Takeover the highest rating – 4 out of 4 stars. It seems professionally edited, and I’m sure sci-fi fans will love it! I suppose it will also interest those who play the online game. Due to the rather masculine points of view, I believe it will appeal especially to young men. The ending wraps things up nicely, but there’s a hint of a sequel, which I would love to read. As a female fan of sci-fi, though, I hope the author will throw in some feminine points of view. ****** [i]Hades' Star [/i] View: [url=http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=407144]on Bookshelves[/url]
At the beginning of the book, the Terran Federation of Planets, owner of the Icarus, gets dissolved; a huge corporation named Galaxia takes over. Commander Simms, President/CEO of Galaxia, becomes the new captain of the ship. Hades is a dangerous place, and we are swept from one battle to the next, following the crew as they tackle missions to discover alien artifacts and technology, manage interstellar gates and wormholes, and colonize an Earth-like planet (Eden). Mysterious hostile alien ships (Cerberus) are a constant threat.
The book’s plot is intricate and elaborate, with much more than one could expect from a sci-fi book. There are many erudite references and quotes, which I thoroughly enjoyed – Churchill, Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Lewis Carroll are some examples. The author explores a creative parallel between a love triangle (I cannot give it away!) and the biblical tale of King David, Uriah the Hittite, and Bathsheba.
The protagonist is a lovely character, with an unassuming and wholesome personality. As a kid, after losing his parents and siblings, he lived with his grandpa on a ranch in Montana. Although he is a fierce battleship commander, he could very well be the guy next door. He gets involved in a love triangle of sorts, which I felt added to the story. However, I thought some of his remarks were a bit silly and womanizing; for instance: “I stopped for a moment, distracted by her ample chest.” This was the only negative. Even so, he still comes across as a likable character, and I enjoyed rooting for him throughout the book.
Without a doubt, I give Hades’ Star: Hostile Takeover the highest rating – 4 out of 4 stars. It seems professionally edited, and I’m sure sci-fi fans will love it! I suppose it will also interest those who play the online game. Due to the rather masculine points of view, I believe it will appeal especially to young men. The ending wraps things up nicely, but there’s a hint of a sequel, which I would love to read. As a female fan of sci-fi, though, I hope the author will throw in some feminine points of view. ****** [i]Hades' Star [/i] View: [url=http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=407144]on Bookshelves[/url]
You are not logged in. Please log in or sign up to view members replies, participate in the discussion, and access more features.
