Into the Black

I enjoyed Evan Currie's Into the Black: Odyssey One a great deal and appreciated his treatment of various science fiction staples such as faster than light (FTL) travel and first contact. Into the Black tells the story of Earth's first interstellar voyage launched by a world that is still divided between East and West after World War III. The adventure is fast paced and Currie's character development is top notch. I especially liked how Currie uses only slight twists that make the technology of Odyssey One possible under the laws of physics as we understand them today. He also imposes seemingly "real world" limitations such as charging time and various other factors that make you feel like this technology is possible in our universe, show more giving the reader a real feeling of connectedness with the "anti-reality" that is being presented.

One of my favorite technical aspects that Currie pays close attention to is the limitations of dealing in distances that can be measured in light-seconds or light-minutes, and the direct comparison he uses to submarine warfare in this novel. Most visual science fiction works make battle in space seem immediate with laser hits happening as soon as they are sent and visual feedback of damage inflicted on a foe immediately registered. Currie chooses to be true to time and distance and makes the battle scenes much more palpable in the waiting for the time it takes for sensors signals traveling at light speed to reach their target and return to their sender before knowing what information will be discovered.

Into the Black takes on epic themes of chivalry, military history and tradition, and duty to humanity, even when the humans in question belong to another planetary system. There is also great irony being dealt with as Captain Weston throws his ship and crew in harms way to defend a planet that knows only peace among it's species, while back on Earth there is division among humankind and bitter tensions from a very recent war.

I enjoyed thouroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading The Heart of Matter, the second book in the Odyssey One saga. show less

Often, with me, Space Operas are hit or miss. There's either too much mindless action or too much mindless action or there's even too much mindless action.

But sometimes, fortunately, I get caught up with a crew of some really great characters. They get thrown in some interesting situations with plenty of translator humor, and then, suddenly, all my worries just seem to melt away.

If you're looking for some great pew-pew, vroom, and kaa-plowie action, this novel has it in spades and spades, and it's great fun, but none of that would be quite as fun or engaging without a great cast.

This has a great cast. :)

It's also the kind of thing I've always enjoyed about Star Trek. It's all about people who get thrown into situations that may or may show more not be out of their ken or abilities, but more often than not, it is the fundamental aspects of living and getting along that make them so damn real and a part of our lives. The ship breaks. There's plenty of miscommunication in and out of the hull. And best of all, it's the little heroisms that snag me. :)

Of course, if you want to be an explorer on the first interstellar spacecraft, meeting good and bad aliens and getting caught up in some really stellar action, I think you'll enjoy this novel, too. :) I mean, this is the DEFINITION of Space Opera. :)

Good clean fun... with or without court-martials. :) show less

I just can't give this more than three stars, though something in me wants to. I had fun reading this book.

The author made a few logical leaps that I didn't follow, but that didn't throw me too much. The order and duration of events wasn't always clear and sometimes things suddenly took much longer or shorter times than they originally were said to take, e.g. things that had just been stated were a few minutes travel would be over an hour away just a paragraph later. A character takes off their helmet, then bumps it on the top of a door frame in the very next sentence. What most of the problems in this book boil down to is the lack of a really good editorial process.

Into the Black Odyssey One by Evan Currie. This is a classic military science fiction story. It is heavy on the military and light on the science. It faithfully follows all of the cliché of the genre. It is the story of Earth’s first space ship capable of instantaneous interstellar travel. Like other recently published military science fiction series such as Ian Banks Star Carrier series and Mark Kloos’s Frontline's series, Earth is politically divided and has just survived a recent non nuclear war. Unlike the two previously mentioned series this aspect of the story is given short shrift . It is used as a reason to arm the ship, theoretically tasked for exploration and research, with every conceivable weapons system and special show more operations operator and super pilot in the North American Alliance. In retrospect this turns out to be a fortunate design feature. As soon as the Odyssey leaves the solar system it and her crew find itself caught in the middle of an interstellar war. The rest of the book focuses on one battle after another. The good aliens look human and are inexperienced in the ways of war. The bad aliens look like insects and have unbeatable weapons and tactics. A riff off of Star Ship Troopers. It is no surprise given the genre that the bad aliens can’t beat the Odyssey. If Captain Kirk and the Enterprise had been as well armed it would not had gotten its butt kicked regularly by the Klingons. The elements that make military science a fun read are the descriptions of the battles, the description of the weapon systems and how the writer is able to raise the immediate stakes for characters and long term stakes for the solar systems or alliances involved. On this score Currie gets a passing grade. The battles are well written, the weapon systems are believable, and although the outcome was never in doubt Currie was able to keep tension high. This book is the first book in a four part series. I will read them as they become available in my library. I don’t think they will be good enough to buy/ show less

The story is told in a kind of flat, matter of fact tone, with some degree of small and maybe not so significant details.

It advances slowly, growing in intensity so little over each chapter that you'd think is going nowhere. No fancy turn of phrase, no sparkling shining flashy wording. Just the bare as-it-happened listing of ordered events and their consequences. No humor either.

So why am I reading it? And why do I seem to crave more?

It is the story. It is simply interesting. It unfolds slowly but it grows and it is fresh and good enough to make up for the lack of literary oomph.

Halfway through it I was sure. The story is just great. I think what caught me was the idea of a less technologically advanced ship facing a powerful show more adversary and standing up to it just fine albeit for a single trick up their sleeve while otherwise entirely outgunned outpowered and outnumbered.

Looks like Evan had the story well planned out. Things happen, a lot, there is logic to it it never seems artificial or forced, it still keeps growing, it does not stop, and it does not even slow down.

What a rush.

Plus, he is self published. You can buy all 5 books now from Amazon for 12 dollars. show less

I have read this book series multiple times. I've noticed when driving long road trips, when I'm in a slump, or feeling down this Book Siri brings a smile to my face. It It is well written and feels like a comfortable set of jeans. It happens to be one of My favorite all time book series


Edit: I will say whenever I'm in a funk or want to read something that feels like "home" this is the series. I loved this book so much I find myself reading it (this book and series) over and over.

I loved this book. Frankly, its corny, nothing is in the least bit original and if you are not an ardent fan of Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica or Starship Troopers, then you will not enjoy it, but who cares? It just works. Moves at a cracking pace, has genuine tension in parts, and although the characters are walking cliches, they are solid enough to generate empathy from the reader. Best of all, it harks back to the glorious beginnings of sf in the pulp magazines of the 30's and 40's. Pure, unadulterated space opera, you got to love it.