Photo by Wil C. Fry, 2021
★★ (of 5)
- Full Title: Outpost
- Series: Donovan #1
- Author: W. Michael Gear
- Year: 2018 (mine was library hardcover)
- Pages: 422
- Genre: Science Fiction, Interstellar Colonization
- Publisher: DAW Books
- ISBN 978-0-7564-1337-8 (hardcover)
- Author’s Wikipedia page
Summary
Outpost is set on the colonial planet called Donovan, in the poorly named town of Port Authority, which has been mysteriously abandoned for years — the colonists have no idea why no resupply ships have shown up in that time and they’ve been forced to survive on their own as the dangerous planet steadily lowers their numbers through attrition. When a Corporation ship does show up, conflict arises between the now-independent colonists and the shipboard employees and Marines.
Points Off For...
I didn’t finish this book. Though the premise sounded interesting, as did some of the characters, and despite some decent action scenes right out of the gate, other factors prevented me from any enjoyment.
The first huge distraction was odd character descriptions. Yes, I often complain when authors provide zero character description, or wait too long to describe characters (until after I already have an image in mind), but both of those would be better than what Gear did. What Gear did was use odd and distracting repetitions of these descriptions. For example, the first character introduced (Talina Perez) is described has having “tanned” skin and “dark eyes”, with an entire paragraph about her Hispanic and Mayan heritage, but then — immediately — she is described again, as having “bronzed skin” and “sable eyes”. On the same page.
The next few characters mentioned aren’t described at all, or until many pages later. One man (Shig), whom we later learn is of Indian heritage, is said to have “blackened” skin and “a broad set to his mouth” and a “pug nose”. A few pages later, he has “broad lips”. When the lady named Trish is finally discribed, it’s just “auburn hair”. In the same scene, we are told again that she has auburn hair. These odd repetitions and inconsistencies stuck out like sore thumbs.
Worse was a Supervisor on the Corporation ship, who had “high breasts”, which made me think she was misshapen in some way. Because if they were of normal height, why mention them?
And on the first few pages, there were strange naming schemes for the local flora. “aquajade trees” and “thorncactus” (seriously).
The inconsistencies continued, with some major characters being described not at all and others being repeatedly described in uncomfortable terms.
Conclusion
Maybe the story turned out well, but I just couldn’t keep going with all the distractions of elementary-level plant naming (seriously, “thorncactus” is like “furdog” or “clawtiger” — c’mon) and unsettling descriptions of people.
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