Lucifer's Star
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Lucifer's Star
Narrated by:
Eric Burns
Buy Now for £18.99
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Narrated by:
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Eric Burns
About this listen
Count Cassius Mass was the greatest star pilot of the Crius Archduchy. He fought fiercely for his cause, only to watch his nation fall to the Commonwealth. It was only after that he realized the side he'd been fighting for was the wrong one. Now a semi-functional navigator on an interstellar freight hauler, he tries to hide who he was and escape his past. Unfortunately, some things refuse to stay buried and he ends up conscripted by the very people who destroyed his homeland. Their mission for him? Destroy his clone before he's used to rouse the defeated Crius Archduchy from their apathy.
©2016 Charles Phipps (P)2017 David N. WilsonListeners also enjoyed...
Cassius Mass is on the run for war crimes, hiding out as navigator on a tramp merchant spaceship. Because Mass is really an ace starfighter pilot with over four hundred kills to his name, cybernetic enhancements and a proton sword hidden in his quarters. In a galaxy far, far away, Mass would be an innocent man out to clear his name – but here he’s just trying to survive. Because this is a darkly comic work which upends the usual expectations, with no Jedi, no Force and no good guys and survival being everyone’s aim.
Mass’ team of killer cyborgs, rogue sex androids, clones, double (or triple) agents and other desperadoes takes on a mission which will restore his fortune, get the authorities off his trail, and might just save the galaxy. The merchant ship blasts off for a dangerous rendezvous…It’s space opera, or rather space comic opera, as even in the most serious situation the characters can’t resist cracking jokes.
The setting is the aftermath of a war between the evil and fascist Archduchy, which has been defeated by the evil and corrupt Commonwealth. The Commonwealth’s competing evil and machievallian intelligence agencies are rooting out the remnants of the Archduchy, but are also threatened by the evil and inhuman Chel, and the “Free Systems Alliance” rebels…who are evil and violent terrorists. There are other parties involved too, including merchant guilds, slavers and aliens. Just nobody nice.
The fun here is the combination of galactic warfare, from space battles to blaster shootouts to power-armor punch-ups and swordfights, with Phipps snark-infested dialog. There’s a decided disrespect for the norms of the genre – the protagonist pokes fun at a popular series called ‘Space Voyage’ about a noble, heroic starship crew. The plot goes through some convolutions and revelations abound. Sometimes it gets hard to keep track of who is on which side, or indeed whether Mass is on anyone’s side, but the action keeps rolling along the answers arrive in due course.
Eric Burns does a terrific job of narrating, switching easily from gravel-voiced spacers to girlish sidekicks while keeping an almost straight face the whole way through.
A kind of anti-Star Wars, with a dash of Blade Runner thrown in, Lucifer’s Star is a fun swashbuckling adventure.
Darkly comic swashbuckling space opera
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Each character has their own goals, personality, and history adding to the richness of the story enhanced by the unique voice Eric Burns's narration give them. The story is well paced and the action scenes feel quick and intense. The setting has a lot of history and in is interesting seeing it in the past with the flashback and in the present. As the story goes on you find out more and more about why things are happening. I really want to find out what might be next for the characters I hope there is a sequel.
I think they dynamics between the characters are very well done and the flashbacks are handled well giving you enough information and not side tracking the whole story. The development of the main character as they learn more about their past and the truths about their home nation. The ragtag crew of the ship is just brilliant and reminds be very much of Firefly I love the old granny captain.
I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone that like space adventures.
5/5
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
An interesting space adventure
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Any additional comments?
... or, "Okay, what the hell is going on?"This is a great space romp, humerously written with a fun story of constantly changing parameters. The author has drawn an interesting universe, in which The Commonwealth has been expanding, absorbing all other planetary governments into itself. Only one had escaped defeat: a strange people known as the Chell.
Cassius Mass had fought valiantly against the Commonwealth but had been unable to save his home world. But he survived. Famous (or infamous) for his war deeds and fighter pilot skills, and with a price on his head, he changes identities and gets work as a navigator on a freight ship. When a lookalike version of himself starts appearing on news channels inviting people to join a resistance faction, Cassius finds his secret identity isn't quite as secret as he had thought ... And nearly everything else is somewhat different, too.
A really enjoyable book with great characters, good dialogue and a story which just keeps on shifting. There are humans, AIs, bioroids, clones, genetically enhanced people and aliens, spies everywhere, and even a two hundred plus year old grandmother, Captain of the freight ship, with her mechanical aid, Hunkajunk, probably the oldest robot still in use, now you really don't want to annoy her.
The.narration by Eric Burns is excellent, giving individual voice to the numerous characters and his reading of the text between dialogue is in an expressive, well paced enthusiasm very fitting to the action and pleasing to the ear. One or two tiny slips but, overall, an impressive performance.
I was very fortunate to receive my copy of Lucifer's Star as a gift from the rights holder, via Audiobook Boom. My thanks. I really enjoyed the numerous confusions as beliefs and expectations prove wrong and new directions are introduced. Lots of ingenious fight scenes and I loved the humour which bubbles up throughout. Some interesting ideas, too. If you are looking for the more usual battle between good and evil, this is not the book for you. But if intrigue and double dealing with a 'hero' as confused about his place in the greater scheme of things as the listener is sure to become, then don't delay - get this book now, read, enjoy and then, like me, hope that another adventure will soon follow.
"We're not criminals. We are - differently legal!"
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As I said above, I really liked the world building. The tech is very similar to Ghost in the Shell (the reason I got into manga, anime and webtoons); but this is about the closed to "grimdark" that I'll actually read/listen to, I think.
So, the ultimate test: will I pick up book 2? Not as right now. Maybe when I'm in a less stressful place
Audio: Good narration. It took a bit of getting used to how the narrator did the female voices; but I would listen to Eric Burns again
Ghost in the Shell meets Firefly
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A darkly humourous far-future sci fi
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