Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book.

I listened to the first book in this series and really enjoyed it so I was glad there was more! I love Mickey7. Probably not one where you can easily read without reading the first as you will miss out on a lot. Another great read though, definitely recommend!

Antimatter Blues
By Edward Ashton

Oh my, I loved Mickey7! It was my favorite book from 2022! So I was so happy to get this book from NetGalley! This didn't disappoint. Fantastic!
In book one, Mickey7 hid the bomb but told his boss that the aliens had it. He said they wouldn't use it if no one attacks. Now, his boss needs it as a power supply or they won't survive. Mickey7 looks where he hid it and its gone. He asks the aliens and they said they found it and bargained it off to the warring aliens to the south, to save themselves really. Now, Mickey7 has to travel with a handful of people to try and retrieve it. Probably millions of aliens to a handful of people. Ugh!
It's funny, suspenseful, non-stop craziness, unpredictable situations, terrific dialogue, and another awesome ending! This is a must read series! It's like Hail Mary and Murderbot had a child! That's the feelings I get!
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this terrific book! Thanks!!!

A great sequel to Mickey7! Edward Ashton does a fantastic job of helping you remember the important details from the first book so you don't feel like you should have re-read it. This is a fast-paced, fun read for those that enjoy great character development. I'm hoping there will be another book in this series.

I hadn’t read Mickey 7 but immediately bought it and read it because this story was so engaging and interesting that I had to read more. I mean who hasn’t wondered how or why not make another “me” to continue doing the menial stuff. I just highly recommend his book and hope to read more from this author as soon as possible.

This already has lots of helpful reviews and ratings, and I don't have anything new to say + I liked book #1. So I'll just recommend this to scifi fans, and look forward to the next one.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

Edward Ashton's Antimatter Blues was so different fro Mickey7.
As I throughly enjoyed life from the point of view of an “expendable”, Antimatter Blues was nowhere near the same. Mickey7 really wasn’t an “expendable” here but just another citizen of the colony who can contribute to the colony’s success in the environment they find themselves.
Ashton was very successful in portraying everything in this world making it easy to understand the environment.

Wow. A fantastic sequel to Mickey7! Mickey continues to struggle with questions about his identity, while the colony faces another challenge only he can solve. I love how this sequel deepens the world building of Nefflehiem, especially as we gain deeper insight to the inner workings of the creeper civilization. Be sure to check out this book when it's published on 3/14. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this stellar read! Find more reviews on instagram@lahars_little_library

In this second (inter)stellar novel, Mickey and a ragtag team including an alien must work together to save the fledgling human colony. Great worldbuilding, intense action, and the wonderful humor from Mickey7 all work together to make this a fantastic read for fans of Sci-Fi and dark humor.

I waited for this book to read Mickey7, and as always, was happy I got to read them one after the other. In this case, it might not have made a huge difference. There are few enough characters, none of them change much over time, and the relationships stay more or less the same. Excepting, of course, the aliens. These books were very interesting for what they were, which was an exploration of cloning, and what the implications would be on death, which seems to become impermanent. The setting, a new outpost on an unfriendly planet with very limited resources and potentially hostile aliens is a nice, though plausibility-stretching background.

As much as I enjoyed the establishment novel in this two book series, Mickey 7, I disliked Antimatter Blues. I finished it over two weeks ago but held off writing this review because I couldn’t figure out how to explain my dislike without at least some small spoilers.

After mulling it for that time, I now know I cannot so please be forewarned that I touch on some mild spoilers or plot elements in my review below.

The previous novel had some deadly contact between the aliens and the humans. It resolved with the two species tacitly deciding to remain separate but also unaggressive. This second novel elevates the aliens from barely above NPCs to full players. This is accompanied by a silly Star Trek level element where the aliens, once wholly alien, not only having learned human speech but having done so using highly advanced technology that’s not even hinted at before.

And that’s the pit of the peach of my annoyance. Suddenly these aliens go from being insect-like in appearance and behavior to having technology more advanced than humans – at least in some aspects. We learn that the aliens can mine ore, refine the metal from it, forge and then machine it precisely. They have the ability to monitor human electronic communications and also have highly advanced electronic knowledge. All this is suddenly plopped onto this novel with no hints from the last.

However, the only view we have of the aliens is, like in the novel before. They live in their bare burrows lacking even furniture. The supposedly intelligent humans never even wonder among themselves where the mines are or where the ore refining is going on or how the machining’s done or what else the alien tech has to offer. Instead, we get the attitude that, like Mickey 7, the humans are dealing with disposable, giant insects that lack any element of interest whatsoever.

After a bit of an introduction, the humans accompanied by a human speaking alien set off on an overland road trip that had so much potential but none of which is realized. The lack of human interest in the alien tech and culture persisted throughout the journey sinking to the point that one human especially started calling the advanced alien an insulting name. None of the other humans on the voyage objected.

I finished this novel because I was committed to doing so having gotten a galley or pre-publication copy. If not for my commitment, I’d have abandoned this one as soon as the name calling started. It did pick up a bit in the last act that sadly only lasted a few pages. There is also a hook at the end that may be the start of book 3 in the series. Again, sadly, the book series structure has been set improperly. Had this book been one of discovery and alliance with the first alien group and then the third being conflict and exploration, it’d have great potential. However, as it stands, there is no wonder or joy whatsoever in this second Mickey outing and from this reader anyway, only a sense of lost life for having taken the time to read every word.

Mickey7, and now this sequel, Antimatter Blues, is what I think is considered cozy sci-fi. I read Mickey7 last year and was pleasantly surprised to see a sequel! Such a lighthearted, funny, adventurous, and fast-paced read. Mickey7 returns in his retirement as an Expendable to, once again, try and save them all.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

I really enjoyed the first book (Mickey7) so I didn’t want read too much about this one ahead of time. It does a great job of re-introducing you to the characters without feeling like you’re re-reading the first book again. I wasn’t sure if this was a sequel or just a Mickey7 type story going into it but I’m glad it went the way it did, continuing on the first book.

I think some people think this genre might not be for them but I think this would be a great recommendation for those folks. It seems to have a bit of something for everyone.

Overall, a well rounded sequel with some good comedic relief and characters that I grew to care about.

This is a follow up to Mickey 7. I loved Mickey 7 and recommended it to several sci fi fans who also loved it. So I was excited to revisit Mickey in Antimatter Blues. I was not disappointed. This story is just a quirky and fun as the last. The colony is running out of power and needs to get back the bomb Mickey left behind so they can use the antimatter for fuel. Mickey is once again pressed into service as the diplomatic negotiator with the local life forms.
And so the fun begins. Enjoy!
This is a review of an advanced reader copy provided by NetGalley.

Not as much of the sarcasm and humor as I remember from the first book, but this was a great continuation and wrap up of the original story. Worth reading as a duology.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Niflheim is enjoying the summer weather, but winter is coming and the antimatter fuel is running low. Commander Hieronymus Marshall believes that Mickey is keeping the colony’s creeper neighbors from using the antimatter bomb they have in their possession. But Commander Marshall wants the antimatter bomb retrieved to use its fuel to keep the colony alive.

When Mickey catches a glimpse of himself in the lower corridor, he wonders if the commander is creating copies of him even though Mickey tendered his resignation as the colony’s Expendable some two years earlier.

Soon, however, that becomes a moot point as the commander asks him to retrieve the antimatter bomb from the creepers [that would be the bomb Mickey hid at the end of the first book]. It’s an assignment far more difficult that Marshall knows.

Will Mickey agree to the assignment? And what do the creepers have to do with the bomb?

=========

Second in the author’s Mickey7 series, the saga of Niflheim continues with sufficient backstory for readers new to the series. Told from Mickey’s point of view, the unfolding story, with its fast-moving plot, draws readers into the telling of the tale from the outset.

Strong world-building and well-developed characters are a highlight of this series; the snarkiness, the unexpected plot twists, the complexity of each character . . . all are strengths in the telling of this tale. Interactions between the characters reveal the interplay between the colonists and contribute to the depth of the narrative. Additionally, the development of the creepers is both intriguing and delightful.

The narrative, both compelling and imaginative, remains true to the original story’s propensity for examining ethical quandaries. In the evolving narrative, the characters address questions of personal identity and responsibility as well as those relating to one’s loyalty, both to self and to others.

As the story races along toward a satisfactory denouement, readers are likely to find themselves wishing for another visit with the quirky colonists of Niflheim.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#AntimatterBlues #NetGalley

Mickey is an Expendable - his job is to die and be regenerated. He’s the guy you call when they have use for a guinea pig, or need someone to do suicide missions. He’s a disposable member of a colonization mission, where every life should matter, but that’s the job. After having died 6 times, Mickey7 understands how it works.
On the latest scouting mission, Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. When he manages to find himself back at the colony, with the help of native life suprisingly, he realizes a new iteration has already been made, Mickey8, and now both of their lives are in danger. Being a Multiple is one of the worst things to be. If they’re caught the will most likely both be killed. They just have to keep it a secret from the entire colony. With native life forms growing more curious, and the colony’s leadership growing more fearful, survival has come down to Mickey7.

Book two , Antimatter Blues, continues where we left off from book 1. Mickey is holding the bomb over Marshall’s head to secure his retirement as an Expendable, and is the official Ambassador to the Creepers. When the bomb goes missing, it is up to Mickey to try and get it back, or risk losing his own life as well as the entire colony’s.

I want to begin by saying I adore Mickey7. I can’t get enough of the characters, world-building, and story. I took my time reading these books just to relish in the writing. Edward Ashton manages to capture a realistic personality and conversational tone, pacing, and rhythm with his writing. The pacing is brisk, shifting between action and existentialism with ease and grace. Humor definitely helps with this. I got many looks of confusion and concern from people around when I was reading from laughing out loud. It really helped me absorb some of the heavier themes of the book.
I wish we could have seen more relationship background and development between Nasha and Mickey. I came away from these books feeling like they were more traumabonded than in love. If any of the characters were truly in love, it was on Mickey’s end. I didn’t get much on Nasha’s end until the second book, and it felt like it came out of nowhere.
Reading both books back to back is nearly seamless, and it truly is an experience to read these. That being said, I did enjoy the sequel more! I feel like Ashton really hit his stride with the story and characters in book two. I can’t wait for more in the series, and want to thank St. Martin’s Press,via Netgalley, for giving me this amazing opportunity with an advance digital copy of Antimatter Blues, and a digital copy of Mickey7.

If you liked the first book you will most certainly enjoy this book. Simply, this read is every bit as entertaining as the first book. The snarky back and forth easy dialogue is there, the hooks at the ends of every chapter are there, and a solid plot line keeps a nice fun to read pace. I think the thing I liked most was there wasn’t a ton of time spent rehashing events from book one, and that’s a good thing for people who didn’t read book one, this story stands by itself as an independent novel as well as a follow up.

In ANTIMATTER BLUES, by Edward Ashton, Mickey Barnes has been kept alive because the commander of the colony on the planet Niflheim believes Mickey knows where an antimatter bomb is that's key to the survival of the colony. With fuel dwindling and the livelihood of the colony in jeopardy, Mickey is sent out into the wilds of Niflheim to find the bomb so that the colony can convert it back to fuel for the colony to survive. Can Mickey find, bargain with, and convince the native species of Niflheim to help him find the bomb and return it to the outpost before things get too dire?
Mickey is such a likable character, he carries the right mix of humility, bravado, and instinct that the reader can't help but connect with and pull for him to make the right choices. He doesn't always make the right choice but that's what makes him even more real. Ashton does a good job of slowly building the stakes at hand and the weight that is slowly building on Mickey's shoulders that goes virtually unnoticed until all of a sudden the colony, the different species of Niflheim, and really the entire planet's fate lies in Mickey's hands. The science of the book, with the habitat, the weapons, the vehicles, etc.,all seem very plausible and easy to accept. The supporting cast of characters are great, lots of different points of view and varying instinctual responses makes for exciting action sequences with unpredictable results. Even the native species are created in a way that the reader wants them to somehow get what they want along with what the colony wants. Exciting ending with a satisfying conclusion that left a smile on my face.

I really enjoyed “Antimatter Blues,” Edward Ashton’s science fiction sequel to “Mickey 7.” It’s fast-paced, very original, and filled with the kinds of characters and conflicts that keep readers turning the pages to see what happens next.

In “Mickey 7,” protagonist Mickey Barnes comes to the planet Niflheim as part of mankind’s effort, far in the future, to begin a colony there. Without recounting the entire plot, suffice it to say that, by the story's end, Mickey is compelled to hide one of the domed colony's nuclear devices inside a cave. Now, a malfunction has destroyed much of the colony’s energy supply and Mickey must retrieve the device so that its fuel can be used as a replacement. If he fails, the colony will not survive the coming long, harsh winter.

But when Mickey reaches the cave, the device is gone. Who took it? A nearby hive of Creepers, the planet's indigenous species which are giant, worm-like creatures—partly organic, partly mechanical—capable of ripping humans and machines to pieces. When Mickey learns that this hive has traded the nuclear device to another hive living far away, he and his cohorts must travel miles across the inhospitable planet to see if they can retrieve it. Along the way, they meet a number of dangers and when they finally get where they're going, the question becomes: Can Mickey negotiate for the return of the device, or will the colonists and creepers have to go to war?

It’s a high-stakes story comprised of creative “world-building,” lots of conflict, and very likable characters. Mickey is the narrator and his dry, “gallows humor” wit is just as engaging as in “Mickey 7.” Equally engaging are his relationships with girlfriend Nasha and a certain creeper known to some as “Speaker” and to others as “Wormy” (which Speaker is not too crazy about.)

Readers new to the series may want to consider beginning with “Mickey 7” because there’s a lot of information there that fleshes out “Antimatter Blues.” However, it’s not absolutely necessary. Edward Ashton has done a good job of integrating background into the story and, once new readers have given themselves the chance to catch up, “Antimatter Blues” works well as a stand-alone. But for me, knowing what came before added to my enjoyment of the story.

My thanks to NetGalley, Edward Ashton, and publisher St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an electronic ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

Mickey Barnes, once an expendable, is now just another colonist on the remote world of Niflheim. The colony commander, Marshall, believes that creepy neighbors are currently holding on to one of their own antimatter bombs and Mickey, with his odd and unique ability to communicate with the creepers, is the only one keeping them from blowing the planet to pieces.

But winter is coming on and the colony is slowly running out of provisions. One of the biggest needs will be heat and Commander Marshall is planning to drain the energy from the antimatter bomb to use as a heat source. But the bomb is in enemy hands. Mickey is offered his freedom from service once and for all, but first he has to retrieve that bomb before the Creepers blow Niflheim to pieces. There's a problem though ... the Creepers don't have it any more. They gave it to their enemies.

The Humans on Niflhem are wary of the Creepers, at best, scared of them often. Now Barnes must walk into the home of the creatures that scare the Creepers and ask them to please give the newcomers - the Humans - their bomb back. Yeah, this should be easy, right?

When I read this I wasn't aware that this was the second book in a series, and I did feel that there was some information that was missing very early on in the book, but nothing so serious that I couldn't enjoy this book. I do, however, want to get a copy of the first book because I'm quite curious to know more about Mickey and the planet Niflheim.

The book is a straight-up, single-story, part action, part military scifi space opera. Some very alien aliens (although, to be fair, on this world the humans are the aliens) have something that a) they don't know what it is, and b) don't know how dangerous it is, and c) don't know how to use it, which means d) could trigger it quite accidentally.

There's been a very tenuous détente between the Creepers and the humans and if the Creepers were to blow themselves up with the human bomb, well, it could ruin their Cold War-like relationship.

Mickey's personality is somewhat perversely morose, but his morality is such that he doesn't give up and he's willing to bear the weight and responsibility for getting the bomb back to the colony. It is this morality which drives the story and keeps the reader interested. Other than being able to communicate with the aliens (which is the one thing that may have come out of the first novel) and feeling morally responsible, there isn't much about Barnes that makes him special in any.

There aren't any sub-plots or side stories or even other POVs. This is straight up one-person action. There's a hint at something with one of the women in the military outfit he 'commands' but it's so minor it didn't really need to be in there (but perhaps it will come into play in the next book?).

Author Edward Ashton's writing is slick and the story moves along nicely. This was an easy and often exciting read. The question mark of 'What's going to happen next?' really kept me turning the pages.

I appreciated that this world was extremely alien and that the humans and native life forms weren't either already at war or buddy-buddy friends. Even the Barnes/Speaker1 relationship is challenging at best and both individuals learn to adapt and trust in some untrustworthy circumstances.

I look forward to more books in this series.

Looking for a good book? Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton is a military space opera full of energy and action and is a fun read.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.