Download PDF A Bad Deal for the Whole Galaxy The Salvagers Alex White 9780316412100 Books

Product details Series The Salvagers (Book 2) Paperback 544 pages Publisher Orbit (December 11, 2018) Language English ISBN-10 0316412104

A Bad Deal for the Whole Galaxy The Salvagers Alex White 9780316412100 Books Reviews

• This is the second book in the series, and I'll read the rest as they come out. The whole magic-combined-with-technology piece is not entirely compelling to me, but it is executed clearly and does not detract from the fast-moving plots and solid characterization.
  
  In this second book, Hill introduces the whole preferred-pronoun thing, with one character self-identifying as "ze" and another individual identifying as "they," as does Hill themself these days. I find this clumsy and found myself constantly translating to "she" and "her" to make sense of the sentences.
  
  Hill has created an interesting fictional universe here, and it is clearly their right to populate it with as many genders as they wish. (Hill is an individual human being, just so we're clear, who chooses "they" instead of he or she to describe themself.) If this was a conceptual work where exploration of gender reality was central, I think it would work better. For a fast moving space-magic-opera yarn, for me it detracts. The question here, to which there is no correct answer, is whether Hill prefers to use their fiction to work out their own personal stuff, or to write fiction for the maximum enjoyment of others and to build a larger and ultimately more well-paying base of readers.
• What an awesome sequel to the first book, Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe. Except there is even more action, fighting, magic and new and old characters to fall in love with! Definitely the best sequel that I have read in the last year or two.
  
  Each character has a unique voice, and the exposition well timed without getting in the way. Their characters seem to make choices or take action rather than letting the force of the story pull them forward, which I truly relish and was glad to see. This book was skillfully woven together. Each unique character had a unique arc, and each arc varied in pace, tone, and length. The fact they wrote about quite a diverse cast and such far reaching enemies makes me all the more eager for the next in the series!
• The second book in Alex White's The Salvagers series lacks a bit of the, well, magic of the first--we already know the characters and the world, so there's less of a sense of discovery in this one--but makes up for it with a tighter plot with a well-defined antagonist who's less nebulous than the mysterious group the heroes were just coming to learn about in the first novel.
  
  White's writing continues to be confident, his pacing strong, and his characters compelling. As I said in my review of the first book, he's clearly comfortable with this world and its rules. Now that he doesn't have to spend as much time introducing his readers to how things work, he can focus a bit more on the intricacies of the plot, the action, and the character development. This makes for a propulsive story that's easy to read but doesn't feel light or simple.
  
  There are a few nits one could pick. The romance between two characters feels a bit rushed, in terms of how quickly their relationship has proceeded from fling, to something deeper, to something troubled, to a specific resolution. White has a peculiar reliance on the term "bloodred" (all one word, like that) which I found jarring to repeatedly encounter, but every writer, myself included, has those kind of quirks. The allegory with current US politics is sometimes laid on a little thick. Still, overall these are extremely minor issues and not worth knocking a star off, for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone looking for a fast, fun adventure. If "it's a space opera, except (almost) everyone in the universe is also a mage" sounds up your alley, this is a series you will absolutely enjoy.
• Honestly, it took me a while to warm up to the first book, but by a third of the way in I was really into it.
  
  This one started off fast and grabbed my heart right away. I am so invested in all these characters, and I really love the blend of fantasy style magic in the space opera toolbox.
  
  Get this, get the first one, set aside some time after each to feel the feelings. Join us in waiting for the next.
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• Like A Big Ship at the End of the Universe, the first book in The Salvagers sequence, A Bad Deal for the Whole Galaxy pits the crew of the Capricious against tactical and strategic challenges that test their skills and resilience to the utmost. I liked the variety of situations and solutions...some required guns, others required brains, while still others emotional intelligence. The mix of magic and science fiction gives the author free reign to create scenarios that aren't available in other fictional universes. White makes the most of that opportunity.
• I like the universe created in this series but this book really didn’t bring anything new. Felt like it bogged down at points and was too focused on the individual rather than the broader story— I would like to have learned more of the basis for the entire plot that they are fighting against.
• This follow-up is better than the first, perhaps because it relies less on the magical aspect. Probably could've been a bit shorter, but who cares? Give me more lesbians in space any day of the week.
• Like the title says, this is the best action sci-fi fantasy around! Excellent characters, great world building and amazing action sequences fill this entire book. Can’t wait for the next one