J. S. Dewes

(2021) Very good hard SF about a group of fighters at the outer edge (The Divide) of the the universe who discover that the the edge is starting to collapse and will eventually destroy the universe. I like this because it is written in a very readable fashion with the characters behaving more like real human beings than the usual SF characters. Even a lot of humor built in.BookPage:J.S. Dewes' The Last Watch is a high-energy thrill ride at the edge of space featuring a crew of miscreants racing against time aboard an ancient spaceship. A great concept with an even better execution, this is a sci-fi space opera for readers looking to dial up the excitement. The Argus, an ancient spacecraft parked at the rim of a vast, empty space anomaly known only as the Divide, serves as the last protection for humanity against the great unknown. The crew, made up of bottom-of-the-barrel military has-beens, would be content to serve out their time in relative peace. But when the Divide starts expanding, swallowing up the known galaxy, the crew of the Argus must find a way to stop it before the universe is completely engulfed. A strong, straightforward concept anchors a fun cast of characters that always seems to have a quip or a retort ready to go. I had a great time from cover to cover, and here's some good news for anyone else who enjoys it: This is the first in a planned series, so get ready to return to the Divide in the near future. With its ?Battlestar Galactica? meets ?Game of Thrones? tone, The Last Watch is a delight.… (más)

Mixed feelings about this one.

A lot of the structural elements are there: an mystery/thriller set in deep space, accelerating action, some neat science, the hint of political forces, characters with great potential. From other reviews, clearly the plot compelled and the characters intrigued a lot of readers. It goes to show how subjective enjoyment of art is.

Personally, my first love in literature is the characters. Plot is secondary, and worldbuilding is great, but less essential. I think that's why this book fell flat for me.

From the description, I should have loved both the MCs and their dynamic. But neither of them lived up to their potential, and they actually were written as very different than portrayed. The wise-cracking, genius (disgraced) prince was not very witty after all, demonstrated his scholarly knowledge by occasionally pulling of fairly absurd feats of science, and acted like an insecure child desperately in need of approval. The battle-hardened captain and supposed natural leader dithered, make reckless choices, agonized over useless emotions, and commanded respect by choking people with her augmented strength.

I will say I think the book might make a fairly decent movie, and actually felt written with a strong emphasis on visuals and tense scenes. There's also a clear set up for a second book, one that might move deeper into the political scene.… (más)