Ocean

Okay, I know Warren Ellis is now persona non grata, and I understand and support the reason why.

But I'm also so far behind in my TBR that I've still got books of his to be read. And, while I hate what he's done, there's also no denying that Ellis is a superb author, and I have to say, while I had no true idea what this story was about (there was a point where, if it said "Warren Ellis" on the cover, I was buying it), I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Ellis has a way of tossing in technology that's complicated, yet fascinating, and he makes it understandable, and then he uses it to full effect.

But that, on its own, would be useless if he didn't have a solid story to back it up. And in this one? He really does. The elements he ties together, show more the mythology that he builds in such a short time...it's brilliant.

I've seen some complaints that it should have been longer, and maybe some of the stuff was slightly rushed, but not enough to hamper the sheer enjoyment of the story.

So, while I don't love the person, I love what he's written.

But hey, that can be said of a lot of creators, can't it? show less

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss. Content warning for violence. Caution: vague spoilers ahead.)

Set one hundred years in the future, the humans in OCEAN have finally mastered space travel ... but have yet to throw off the shackles of capitalism (boo!).

Nathan Kane is a special weapons inspector for the UN with a tragic backstory, a way with the ladies, and a nostalgia for the early days of space flight. We meet him en route to Cold Harbor, the (international?) exploratory force's permanent station outside of Europa, the smallest of Jupiter's moons. Though it seems like business as usual, an assassination attempt quickly disabuses him of that notion. Cold Harbor's discovery of a seemingly hostile show more alien species in stasis threatens to upend everything we know about our place in the world - and, perhaps, the world itself. But Cold Harbor isn't alone in Europa's air space. A sinister corporation called DOORS is also interested in the aliens and their tech - and its worm-brained manager (shades of RKF Jr. ya'll!) will go to any lengths to get what he wants.

I'm really split on this one. While the artwork and storytelling are great, the ending is ... not so much. I don't want to drop any spoilers - even if this is a reissue of a decades-old graphic novel - but let's just say that this isn't exactly the right political climate for a story that ends in unapologetic genocide. While the aliens are sold as sociopathic, maniacal murder machines filled with white hot rage, this is mostly based on the vibes and feelings of the earthlings. Plus, like, you invaded their planet. Okay, so wormholes, but still. It seems like there might have been a solution somewhere between allowing Elmo control of super-weapons and the destruction of an entire planet and its occupants. show less

I'm not sure why I even wanted to read this. I spotted it at the end of an Ex Machina volume. I'm glad I did read it. It's tightly written; and has strong art work. I'm disappointed that there's only one 6-issue volume. I want to know more about Nathan Kane. I think I may have liked this mostly because it pokes fun at Microsoft and Windows.

So, so great. I wish it was longer. Grabbed me from the first page. Diverse cast, thoroughly imagined world building, so much information shared in a minimalist way. Loved it.

A neat little story about an inspector set out to investigate objects found within Europa's oceans. But then, I do tend to like Ellis' space stories.

Cool story and good artwork, though a little choppy at times. A fun read.