Book Review: Redshirts, by John Scalzi

This was an entertaining novel-length Star Trek joke, but... a Hugo? Really?

Tor, 2012, 318 pages

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 facts 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 expended on 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.

( Dude, you wrote a book just to take a shot at Scrivener fanboys? )

Verdict: I liked Redshirts, but it's a novel-length Star Trek joke written by and for nerds of a particular feather, and like a lot of humorous science fiction written as metafictional social commentary, it's not likely to age well.

Also... a Hugo? Really?

Also by John Scalzi: My reviews of The Android's Dream, The God Engines, Agent to the Stars, and Fuzzy Nation.

---

My complete list of book reviews.