I actually had to DNF this one at around the 38% mark. It was just boring. There were a lot of flashbacks to when Mickey first became an Expendable and there was very little about what was happening in the present.

Book received for free through NetGalley

I took out the book version and didn’t get a chance to start reading before the audiobook version was available. Thus this is for the audio version.

The narrator was good, the story was great, and I needed to know what would happen next. Overall a good read.

If you like science fiction reads then you won't be disappointed by Mickey7. Mickey is an expendable and he's the only one. This means he uploads all of his memories for backup and can die and be remade (it seems a nasty process) and download all of the memories. But Mickey7 is left for dead and they create Mickey8. There aren't supposed to be two Mickeys existing at the same time so this is quite a problem for the future colony living on an isolated planet. I liked the main character and I stayed engaged during the whole book. Well done.

So when I sat down to review this book, I’ll admit I had a hard time putting my thoughts to paper, as it were. Mickey7 isn’t a bad book, per se, it’s just not a book I felt like finishing if that makes sense. Let’s put it this way, I started reading it on the 12th and managed to make it to 60% of the way through before I gave up on the 26th.

The characters were fine, I just didn’t find anything really loveable about them. Mickey is written as a Mark Watney type (you know, from the Martian), a kind of comedic view into the harsh realities of intergalactic travel and planet habitation. To me, he just kind of fell flat. I just wasn’t as engaged with his journey as I would have liked, and given that his is the one we are supposed to relate to, that’s a problem.

The side characters were okay. One of his friends is written to be a jerk, and he absolutely is. I appreciated that. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to hold my attention.

The complex problem of finding a planet that meets our requirements for life, isn’t actually hospitable, and inhabiting said planet, was just okay. It didn’t thrill me to learn of, let’s call it, escalating tensions with their new neighbors. I wasn’t really invested in that conflict.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that if I had tried to push myself, I could have finished this book, but life is too short and there are too many books out there for me to keep reading one I don’t like. 1 star.

I genuinely wasn't sure what I was getting into with this one. Not only am I not typically one to take a risk on a sci-fi book I might not like, I'm even less likely to take a risk on one that is too offbeat or campy to keep me from being bored or cringing too much. This one manages to get right into it from the beginning, it's not going to take itself too seriously and it's not going to hold back on the facts of Mickey's life, but why would we want it to? This one is darkly humorous, endearing, and surprising in all the right ways. Mickey is absolutely an antihero and he has quite the tale to tell once he's figured out where his life has taken him. Sometimes this one is a bit like Duncan Jones' Moon, on other occasions it's a bit Woody Allen, and others it goes toward a more humorous take on Annihilation. I think this is a good bet for fans of sci-fi that doesn't take itself too seriously but also takes us to places we might never have imagined on our own with it.

4.5 stars, rounding up because it was such a great reading experience. A little less action than I was expecting, and the half-star is for some shakiness in the beginning-- there is a fair bit of backstory that is less smoothly incorporated and feels like info dumping. The narrator/MC also starts out by addressing the reader more frequently; this would be ok if it were a thing throughout the book, but it kind of drops away and isn't maintained.

A funny and quick read. Hand to readers who liked Project Hail Mary, because of the snarky main character who keeps his sass level high even in the face of death. The slight possible changes in personality between instantiations (as his copies are called) was hinted at but not explored; it did make me think of We Are Legion (We Are Bob) and is also a good suggestions for Dennis E. Taylor readers.

Edward Ashton’s Mickey7 is set in a future where ones entire being can be backed up, and reconstituted if something happens to you. This technology is mostly used in space exploration, so that dangerous jobs can be handled, but if something goes wrong, the user can be recreated. Our hapless hero Mickey, who left behind many debts to go on the mission as the expendable, is now in his 7th iteration. His colleagues think he died and so created Mickey8, but when he returns to the base, the two Mickeys have to figure out if they can or should coexist. They also to have decide how to deal with the alien life forms on the planet. It’s a clever exploration of what makes a person a person, with some good romantic comedy and space tensions thrown in.

"Here’s a thought experiment for you: Imagine you found out that when you go to sleep at night, you don’t just go to sleep. You die. You die, and someone else wakes up in your place the next morning. He’s got all your memories. He’s got all your hopes and dreams and fears and wishes. He thinks he’s you, and all your friends and loved ones do too. He’s not you, though, and you’re not the guy who went to sleep the night before. You’ve only existed since this morning, and you will cease to exist when you close your eyes tonight. Ask yourself—would it make any practical difference in your life? Is there any way that you could even tell?"

This is a really solid futuristic sci Fi novel. Reminds me very strongly of edge of tomorrow in terms of the feel and similar story ideas (Live die repeat).

Mickey is an expendable. He needed to get off Midgard and fast, so he chose this job, where his purpose is to do the dangerous jobs and die, a lot. In painful, miserable ways. And then he wakes up, in a new body, and another Mickey is born. But what happens when another Mickey is born and the previous one didn't die?

This is a solid alien story with a lot of complex philosophical discussion (ship of Theseus) and a lot of fun too. I really enjoyed it and will definitely read the sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's press for giving me and advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about the ship of Theseus personified.

This was a funny, unexpectedly philosophical sci fi adventure. I found myself trying to figure out if I believed Mickey 7 is still Mickey- he has all his memories? He has his face? But he’s the 7th in a line of potentially infinite reiterations of an “expendable” human. The possible uses for a person who could be copied are endless- medical testing? Radiation? Dangerous alien interactions? Anything you wouldn’t do to a person whose death would actually matter, would suddenly be an option… what a fascinating and horrifying idea. Towards the end it was a bit odd (even by sci fi standards) but overall an enjoyable ride.

Thank you so much netgalley macmillan audio & St. Martin’s press for the ALC & eARC. The narration & in story sound effects are great, so I would highly recommend listening in addition to reading.

I'm not sure what drew me to this title, but I haven't read much science fiction lately, and I really enjoyed Mickey7.

Mickey is an "expendable." He's on a long journey to colonize a new planet. He's expendable because if he dies, they have a copy of his DNA, complete with memories, so that he can be regenerated. This is really helpful for dangerous missions, but dying isn't fun.

The seventh version of Mickey is on one of those missions and is left for dead. But he manages to return to the bubble where they are trying to survive on a most inhospitable planet. When he returns to his bunk, there is Mickey8, fresh out of the regenerator.

This is a problem for several reasons. If anyone finds out, they will both be thrown into the regenerator. Everyone is on survival rations, and now the two Mickeys have to share. And, the most obvious problem, in my opinion, is how are they supposed to get around and do their duties on the ship? This was the biggest flaw in the plot. They are both out of their room at the same time. One on duty, one doing something else. They don't know each other's experiences. Seven has a wrist injury, and 8 doesn't even seem to care to fake it. Neither of them is very careful or concerned enough. Of course, they are going to be discovered, but how soon?

The premise of the expendables is interesting. They are loathed by some as an abomination, and therefore much discriminated against. The terraforming on this ice-covered planet is going badly. Food is scarce. The wormlike native creatures are beginning to attack. Will Mickey save the day?

Mickey7 is exciting, if a bit far-fetched, and kept my interest. It has been compared to The Martian, and even if it doesn't live up to the comparison, it is entertaining. And it's going to be a movie starring Robert Pattinson. If you like the terraforming, survival, overcoming the natives type of sci-fi, you'll like Mickey7.

So, full confession time: I originally picked up Mickey7 because I was craving something similar to The Murderbot Diaries, and I thought this would be it. While it wasn't, I will admit that it ended up being a solid and thought-provoking read.

Mickey7 is what is called an Expendable. He's literally a disposable human, where the colony can simply print a new him when the current version dies, which is often, given that he's the seventh incarnation (so far).

While out scouting, Mickey7 found himself in a tricky situation. He fell down a deep hole. Rather than taking the time, energy, and risk to save him, his so-called best friend left him to die. The good news is: Mickey7 didn't die. The bad news is that Mickey8 was sitting in his bunk when he got home. And Expendables aren't allowed to exist together.

“Dying isn't any fun...but at least it's a living.”

If you like science fiction novels that make you think and question deeper truths such as reality, life, death, and the concept of self, then Mickey7 is a fantastic read for you. This novel blends many different thoughts, concerns, and subjects, creating a new science fiction novel in the process.

Admittedly, Mickey7 isn't the most involved science fiction novel I've read. If not for the debate about Mickey's identity, I might not have enjoyed it so much. I feel like many other hardcore science fiction readers may ultimately feel the same. However, this novel will carefully guide readers along on quite the journey for those not as used to the genre.

There are a lot of familiar concepts and even references strewn about Mickey7. For example, the majority of the story takes place on Niflheim. Sound familiar? Plus, the idea of replacing a person with another copy isn't exactly new. It just has a shiny new name and face here.

Still, I appreciated what Edward Ashton was trying to do here. It made a difficult concept pretty approachable and had a little bit of fun in the process. Gotta love it when your moral philosophy debate comes with a sense of humor, right?

In the beginning, I didn't like Mickey all that much. I'm not even entirely sure that I liked Mickey7 by the end, though he did grow on me. It says a lot about the writing that I was able to be enchanted by this story, despite not being all that sold on the leading character.
I would absolutely recommend Mickey7 to any other curious reader, especially if they're hoping for a more thought-provoking read.

Sometimes, it's not a bad idea to jump into a book without any idea of what to expect. I did this with Mickey7, and I feel like I went on a wild, adventurous ride. Because of that, I don't want to sum up anything that I read.... which makes it a bit difficult to talk about. On a general note though, the things I enjoyed:

-The way the author dealt with cloning- it was more philosophical than practical, which gave the reader something to think about.
- Mickey7. He's not a bad head to be stuck in for the whole of the book- not my favorite narrator ever, but I felt that I could understand his actions.
-The general plot- I had fun explaining this one to my husband, who is more the sci-fan fan than me. This is definitely a good recommendation for sci-fi readers!

I spend a lot of time griping about little things in books... and even though I've thought of a few of them for this book, I think that this book deserves the positive praise more than the knit-picks. It was enjoyable and different from a lot of my other reads, which can be a nice change of pace.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced E-copy of this book. I hope to see more work from Edward Ashton in the future.

I really really loved this story! It felt somehow so realistic for our future. The writing style was easy to follow and had lots of humor! Felt really similar to Andy Weirs writing.

I really enjoyed Mickey as a character and felt for him throughout so the ending made me really happy! Kinda wish he had hooked up with Cat lol. It also kept making me draw similarities to current jobs and managers in the sense that managers make their employees feel "expendable". Also drew on many philosophical ideas of death and what that really means.

Definitely recommend checking this one out!!

Thank you netgalley for this earc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this title.

This had an interesting premise and does some great worldbuilding, but most of the characters/plot feel underbaked, particularly Mickey 8. The whole of the plot hinges on our main character suddenly having a duplicate when that's not supposed to happen, and one of them is so underused/underdeveloped that you kind of wonder what the point is.

Fascinating concept meets obnoxious protagonist makes a recipe for a story that is just okay. Mickey Barnes is trying SO hard to follow in the tradition of Mark Watney and Murderbot, but simply does not have the humor or charm to make it work. His jokes fall flat and I struggled to be sympathetic to his plight: it is hard to believe that one abysmal choice could have landed him in straits dire enough to accept the conditions of being an Expendable. His interactions with Cat and Nasha left a bad taste in my mouth, and neither woman felt developed beyond shallow stereotypes peppered with "zingers" that felt forced at best and cringey at worst. Also, the whole plan that Micky7 and Mickey8 hatch to keep themselves alive was almost comically flimsy: the inability of other characters to catch them in the act or call them on their bad lies was even more fantastical than the space travel. The most interesting part of this novel was the ethical dilemmas it raises regarding identity, colonization, and religion - if it had leaned more into this and tried less to be funny I would have enjoyed it more.

When Mickey signed on as an Expendable on a one-way colonization mission to the planet Nilfheim, his biggest worry was escaping from a loan shark looking to torture the crap out of him. The theoretical possibility of being killed and having his mind regenerated in a clone body seemed less scary somehow.

But now Mickey is Mickey7 and the things he's been through.... He's stuck on an inhospitable planet with a bunch of purist Natalists (who think cloned Expendables are an abomination) and is sent out on the most horrible and dangerous tasks on the colony. But when he falls in an ice crevasse and his friend Berto decides it's easier to let him die than attempt to retrieve him, Mickey7 makes his way through ice tunnels and into the grips of ice planet creepers who seem....sentient. When he finally makes it back to base, he realizes Berto has initiated the regeneration process and now a duplicate Mickey8 is asleep in his bed. And duplicates? That's the biggest cloning taboo there is....

This was a really fun premise for a story and it's a quick read. Mickey is an amateur historian as well, so the story is interspersed with snippets on the hows and whys of the human Diaspora across space. I was a little disappointed with the climax of the story - it didn't build up very much and felt a little rushed, but all in all, it was very enjoyable and if it becomes a series, I definitely would keep reading.

I thought this book was a lot of fun! For sci-fi I am definitely a sucker for colony settings. And I loved that the main character was just a regular schmo, not the brightest dude. There are little vignettes in between the main storyline that are essentially Mickey telling us, the reader, little stories about the history of their world, which I loved. The whole book is written in a really casual and accessible way, so even if you don’t do a lot of space sci-fi settings I think you would be fine with this one. Not to mention it does kind of make you think about what makes a human a human. Is it the physical body or is it the soul? Really well done & entertaining!

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Full review and links to social will be posted as soon as possible.

I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Did not expect to like this as much as I did. (I've been burned before). It was such a fun and entertaining story, but with some grit behind it.

Mickey is an expandable. Meaning, he gets reprinted if he dies. His mission, is to do every single dirty, dangerous, deadly job on the colony ship to make sure it get to its destination. But Mickey doesn't really want to die. Or likes it. But this was the only way to get off the planet he's currently on, and escape his troubles.

Once the colony ship gets to a new planet, on a scouting mission, Mickey gets himself into a pickle, and because his friend thought he was dead, Mickey gets reprinted. Well, how to fix this, without killing yourself or well, yourself.

It was a clever story full of dark humor, adventure, some cool science and speculations on colonization. And of course soul searching. Or lack of it.

I heard this is going to a screen soon! Can't wait, it will be a cool show to watch. Except maybe for that one sex scene. If you know, you know.

Thank you to the publisher for my gifted review copy.

This was my first time reading an Edward Ashton book and I like how he wove in the historian side of the main character, Mickey. To escape a sticky situation on his home planet, Mickey signed up as the Expendable on a one way trip to establish a beachhead on a hopefully hospitable planet. The storyline brings up the social/moral aspects of a new copy of him being created multiple times. I wanted to like this story more, but it did not draw me in enough to read it quickly, though if I could, I would give it 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book to review through NetGalley.