Mickey7 by Edward Ashton
Reviewed By: Jeremy Zentner, Reference Assistant
Genre: Science fiction
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About? Mickey7 is in a predicament. He was supposed to die. In fact, that’s the job: to be Expendable. Born on the colony world of Midgard, Mickey volunteered to join his home world’s first colonial expedition to establish a base on Niflheim, a planet just a few light years away. In truth though, he wasn’t doing it for noble reasons. He had compromising issues back home that prompted him to leave Midgard by any means necessary. Joining the mission would not be easy, however. No one wanted an amateur historian on an extremely expensive and scientific operation. So, he took the one job that nobody wanted.
The Expendables are personnel sent on dangerous missions. Missions so horrifically perilous that they are expected to die so the rest of the colonists don’t have to risk their own necks. Whether it’s absorbing deadly doses of radiation or scouting hazardous terrain full of giant murderous aliens, Expendables are considered a necessary evil to high risk operations. Upon their death, a new clone is grown, their brains downloaded with the most recent memories the previous person uploaded, and eventually we have the seventh incarnation of our protagonist, Mickey7. However, since he was reported dead on his last mission (and he dared to survive), there’s also a Mickey8, and both clones have to hide their double existence because multiple clones are considered a capital offense. Meanwhile, the alien life found on Niflheim, Creepers, have taken an interest in killing the colonists anyway they can.
My Review: Mickey7 was an easy read that was unpretentious in its execution and hilarious in its content. This is a new book told in first person by Mickey7. The protagonist describes his journey in enlisting as an Expendable, why he was desperate to leave Midgard, and how life (or death) as an Expendable has worked out for him. Due to the subject nature of Mickey7’s job, a lot of ethical and moral dilemmas can be dissected. For instance, is it immortality to download memories into a new clone or simply creating a new iteration of someone dead? Is it a good idea to have a lover with such a hazardous occupation? Is it cheating when there’s two Mickeys fulfilling romantic encounters? All sorts of philosophical conundrums that are narrated with a dry-wit that’s hard not to laugh at.
What I also liked about this book is the narrator’s love for history. In his down time, he reads up on other colonial missions, cultivating a morbid obsession with failed missions, as Niflheim is not turning out to be the best beachhead colony itself. With this historical interest, the reader receives a great deal of future lore told with a satirical tone. The author may lean on “telling” the reader what happens as opposed to “showing,” but this is a first-person narrative that’s spoken with a fast-paced edge designed for humor and engagement. Any weaknesses in the writing are generally overcome by the author’s sheer tenacity at attention grabbing and clever wit.
Three Words that Describe this Book: funny, sci-fi, thriller
Give This A Try if You Like… Old Man’s War, The Martian, Altered Carbon, Starship Troopers, Living With Yourself (TV series)
Rating: 4/5
