This year, I'm trying to read more science fiction, as my reading list has been overwhelmingly fantasy-based in recent years and I'd like to get more of an idea of what's going on in other parts of the SFF genre. As a result, Assassin's Orbit looked like it might be a good bet for a standalone science fiction novel to help with this. 

The basic premise of the novel is that it's set in a universe inhabited by people who have fled from Earth through a one-way wormhole trip, fleeing particularly from a nanotech based virus (the Unity plague) that was being used to control the population en masse. Various cultures have inhabited and colonised their own planets in this new area, with a fierce interdict on such research being undertaken, as well as developing space stations - it's on one of those, Ileres, that the majority of our action takes place, starting with the killing of a government minister and a situation that rapidly unfolds from the investigation of that murder. 

In general terms, the world-building of Assassin's Orbit is pretty good and the plot pushes on in a fairly relentless manner. I would probably have given it more than 3 stars if the characterisation had been equally as thorough. At one point, when I was about 20% through my first read of this book, I had to put it down for a few days and then, when I returned, I couldn't remember who any of the characters were. This is never a good sign. Other than 'get revenge' and 'not get myself killed', there didn't seem to be much going on in terms of character's motivations and I found myself not really giving much of a crap about anybody surviving this. 

I get the feeling this is a first novel and, if that's the case, it's not bad but it's just not got the emotional hook to the characters that I need to care about them. That something to work on for next time around, I think. 

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

A mass murder is just the beginning of something that threatens to engulf the universe in death and slaughter.   
 
This book has everything I love about science fiction.

It's got a large cast of characters (which carries it's own bonuses and perils), and while the action starts small, it quickly moves to world spanning, and we're left with a sense of reasonable doubt as to who is behind everything until the end.  The action scenes are excellent, there's a real sharpness in the description of everything from hand to hand fighting to the wars between starships.  I love that the characters aren't twenty five year old models who just happen to be brilliant at everything, the scenes with a woman at retirement age merrily blasting her way to victory over people much younger than her was a joy to read, and I love that there is no immunity from the reaper.

I just didn't love it as a whole.

I remember reading Ancillary Justice some years ago and having similar problems with that, just something about it didn't work for me.  I should have loved this book, and yet, despite reading to the end of it, I found myself unenthused, and for the life of me I cannot think why.   For books that I don't find enjoyable, I normally give a lower rating, but the writing here was good, the ideas excellent, and I'm loathe to mark down something that could well be brilliant for the next reader, just because it didn't gel for me.