Redshirts
Books | Fiction / Fantasy / Contemporary
3.7
(963)
John Scalzi
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship's Xenobiology laboratory. Life couldn't be better...until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship's captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed. Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expendedon avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues' understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is...and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives. Redshirts is the winner of the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novel.Old Man's War Series #1 Old Man’s War #2 The Ghost Brigades #3 The Last Colony #4 Zoe’s Tale #5 The Human Division #6 The End of All Things Short fiction: “After the Coup” Other Tor Books The Android’s Dream Agent to the Stars Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded Fuzzy Nation Redshirts Lock In The Collapsing Empire (forthcoming)
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Author
John Scalzi
Pages
317
Publisher
Macmillan
Published Date
2012-06-05
ISBN
0765316994 9780765316998
Ratings
Google: 5
Community ReviewsSee all
"Redshirts by John Scalzi 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
I think this would've been a better hit with me if I was a Trekkie however who hasn't seen a few episodes over the years...
I thought the plot was fun and the characters were okay, I even laughed at a few of the jokes but it was a tad transparent and the Coda 's at the end absolutely lost my interest and took up a big chunk of the novel I didn't understand the reason for...
I did see some similarities to Old Man's War in the writing but it being the same author of course you would! "
Sarah
"Really enjoyed this, it’s hilarious. I recommend getting the audible because it’s read by Wil Wheaton, which is very fitting, and he does a great job. "
Dave Sa
"This was 75 percent exactly the book I thought it was going to be and then 25 percent something much more affecting that I was totally unprepared for. So different than the Old Man's War books but in a way that turned out great."
M R
Max Rosenthal
"I loved this book so much!!! Love the thoughts it brings up about alternate universes and infinite possibilities. My favorite part was Coda 3"
Vance B
"This book is first funny. And silly. And then it’s quite clever. And interesting. Loves this "
Karen Sawyer
"I am not a Star Trek fan, but I loved this! It is funny and fast-paced - definitely a light read - but it really makes you think, too. I am not sure what I thought of the three Codas, but the main story without them is 5 stars."
Ricki Marking-Camuto
"I was grinning like an idiot as Scalzi skewered classic sci-fi tropes with irreverent panache in "Redshirts". The book's best feature is its outrageously sarcastic and witty dialogue. The first half was genuinely hilarious and I was prepared to give the book a 4 star rating, but then the plot and writing began to drag in the second half. Things got less funny and more awkwardly serious. And then the final three - THREE - codas at the end were just too much. Scalzi's lucky to escape this one with a three and not a two. It's a shame, because I loved his "Old Man's War" so much. Sort of odd that this won a 2013 Hugo - I found the quality and pacing pretty inconsistent. But the great first half and the excellent narration by Wil Wheaton (who also narrated "Ready Player One") made this a fun read. And that's really all I wanted.<br/><br/>Cross-posted from <a href="https://books.max-nova.com/redshirts">https://books.max-nova.com/redshirts</a>"
Max Nova
"At first, I thought this was a parody of Star Trek. Then the author basically said it was a parody of Star Trek. The book made a lot more sense after that.<br/><br/>Don't worry if the sciencey stuff doesn't make sense to you. It's not supposed to. Just roll with it and keep going. The pieces will fall into place.<br/><br/>Whatever you do, don't skip the three Codas at the end. They are epilogues for three of the minor characters. They tie up loose ends, and the final Coda will make it all worthwhile. I got teary, and smiled.<br/><br/>I laughed aloud many times. It is a bit confusing at the start, but hang in there and it will be worth the read."
"I've now read this book twice and it is still just as awesome as the first time I read it. Scalzi creates a new world based on the tropes of star trek with a fabulous break of the fourth wall. The characters are amazing and the adventure is light and fun (unless your a redshirt on a mission with certain senior officers). The book makes you laugh, ponder "what if" and think about what truly makes "you", you."
Nicole Falche
"This was a fun book for any SciFi fan, especially for this of us who love Star Trek. If you’re not very familiar with Star Trek, a lot of the references would go right past you, including the title. It was a fun idea & well executed, imo. I’d love to say more but I don’t want to accidentally share any spoilers. :)"
Kristy Kapp