What makes us us, exactly? Is it our memories, our experiences? Our DNA or the culmination of our biological components? Mickey7 is going to ask you those questions, and make you ponder the answers long after you've stopped reading. Because really, I am still asking you, aren't I?

We catch up with Mickey, now in his seventh iteration. He usually doesn't need to rely on numeric identification, as only one Mickey is allowed to be alive at the time- he is only reincarnated after the demise of a prior body, after all. But after a bizarre turn of events leads his pal to believe him dead and his body "irrecoverable", the powers that be make a brand new Mickey, version 8.0... without realizing that the seventh just waltzed back into camp fairly unscathed.

Only... now who gets to live? Neither Mickey feels like he should volunteer to be recycled, so they try to stay hidden. This doesn't bode well, as all the citizens are on reduced rations, and threats lurk at every corner. There are a lot of bizarre twists and turns along the way as the Mickeys try to navigate life as essentially fugitives. They can't figure out who is trustworthy, and basically if anyone in the colony is going to make it much longer, much less themselves.

The world building is really unique as well, and I loved getting to know the workings of this colony, the struggles they faced, and the life forms that were already there. My only minor qualm really is that I'd have loved to know more about everything, and I'd gladly welcome a sequel or a companion!

Bottom Line: Incredibly thought provoking, the questions posited in Mickey7 have remained with me since reading it.

Quick read, a super fun mix of action and classic sci fi philosophy. 5⭐️!

Mickey's job in a struggling colony on an inhospitable planet with gnarly, hostile aliens: take all the dirty jobs, since if he dies they can just make a fresh version of him. He's making it work, until he accidentally doesn't die when he was supposed to, and there's suddenly two versions of him cloned self, which is the biggest no no out there.

It's got the sci fi mumbo jumbo to make the technology seen reasonable without getting into details and it's got a compact main storyline heavily intercut with Mickey's past too fill in how we got here/ all the morality that the author wants.

I like the logical conclusion of cloning technology that the author presents, I like the characters, I like the religion/political commentary, I like the conclusion about "old earth" that they story comes to.

It's really good and feels similar to a classic sci fi book like Starship Troopers or Ender's Game. I read it in one day because it was well written and didn't have any parts that dragged.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest review

This was quite a fun little sci-fi adventure and something that was just good timing--it was certainly different from anything I've read recently and the author did a good job with it. The premise is described pretty accurately in the blurb. Mickey is in the 7th iteration of his body after working as an expendable, which is exactly what it sounds like. Any job that is likely to be deadly is given to him with the idea that his recorded consciousness (at least the last time he uploaded) can be downloaded into a new body after his demise (usually quite painful and sometimes drawn out). He is part of a beachhead colony on a new planet and things are not going well. Something goes wrong even more than usual and Mickey7 ends up not dying the way they thought he would and we end up with a duplicate, Mickey8. From here on, things get a bit tense. Besides the fact that Mickey has "died" 6 times before, I would consider this fairly lightweight and it was an easy and quick read. Honestly, the only thing I did not like about how it ended was that I wanted to know more about the world and what ends up happening to their colony. There are a lot of questions that can be explored further, so I'm kind of curious if the author will write more about this world. I would definitely be interested if he does. Still, this was the perfect book in the midst of other heavier reads.

If you enjoy sci-fi adventures and you're looking for a quick read, I can recommend this one.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was such a pleasant surprise! Mickey is such a great character. I loved his humor and ease. The author made the story flow at such a nice pace and I was always interested in what happens next. This was a refreshingly new scifi that I really enjoyed and I think any reader will also.

*High 3 stars rounded up. Set in a future world where humans have left earth to colonize other worlds, this very intriguing scifi thriller has Mickey Barnes, an historian by education, volunteer to be an 'Expendable' aboard a one-way space expedition to Niflheim. Mickey has done something stupid on Midgard and is seeking a way to escape the consequences.

An Expendable on a mission is called upon whenever some dangerous-to-suicidal work is needed to be done. If it results in death, the scientists can reinstantiate a copy of you so you are actually immortal. Doesn't sound too bad, right? But as the story opens, Mickey7 is about to suffer through his seventh death after falling into a deep ice crevasse--his stupidest death ever.

But miraculously he does find a way out and back to the Dome only to find his death has been reported and they've already created his replacement, Mickey8. There can be only one! The captain is a Natalist who believes Mickey is an abomination without a soul so he'd probably happily recycle both of them. After all, food is becoming scarce....

The story is told by Mickey7 who retains the memories of all his other iterations and how they died. But on this mission other crew members are dying and they are NOT immortal. Does Mickey7 hold the key to how to communicate with Niflheim's sentient beings to forge some kind of working relationship?

The story has its ups and downs--some excitement, some dull spots. Well, that's life under a dome on a colony! There are some fairly gruesome depictions of deaths but also some interesting discussions of philosophy. Is this a likely future for humanity?

I received an arc of this new scifi thriller from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.

When I saw this book is being billed as “The Martian meets Dark Matter” I was 100% in as I absolutely loved both of them. What I got was a thoroughly entertaining sci-fi indeed.

Mickey is an Expendable. That means he can’t die. Well actually, he can die. And does many times. But he is always brought back with his same previously uploaded soul. May not be the best job. But Mickey had some problems to escape so why not. The chaos ensues when he is presumed dead and Mickey 8 is created. Except Mickey 7 is still alive. Uh-oh!

This book is funny, futuristic, science fiction fun. It’s a study of the human spirit and what it means to live and die. I highly recommend it to fans of Andy Weir and Blake Crouch.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced digital copy.

When I saw this new science fiction novel billed as a mix between Murderbot by Martha Wells and the tv show Dark Matter, I had to at least put in for a free eARC copy to try from Netgalley (please infer the typical grain of salt). Sadly, while the concept – an “Expendable” on a new colony world who can be reprinted on demand in the case of his death – was pretty amazing, I’m afraid for me it might have gotten lost in a clunky format, too many flashbacks, and one weird scene involving a threesome with two copies of the main character and “their” girlfriend. Now that the admittedly complex, if a little distracting, world-building is complete, future novels in the series might catch my interest more fully. As it was, if you are a big science fiction fan and don’t mind some fumbles in formatting and pacing, it might be worth giving a try. Otherwise, I would stick with Murderbot until this series develops a little more fully.

This was a quick read and entertaining

Mickey is expendable and has been expended several times thus Mickey7. A hiccup has caused 2 Mickeys to exist simultaneously which causes some fun tension and drama due to a severe lack of resources

I finished this in just a couple of days because I couldn’t put it down. I wished it were a little longer. The characters whit and personality shine through. It was a nice escape from the real world

Mickey needed to get out of town asap so he signed on as the Expendable for the voyage to the stars. Anything to get away. And really, how bad can it be? Yes, you get dead sometimes, but you wake up again right? Once, twice, thrice, … 4, 5, 6, 7.

It's all going as well as multiple horrible deaths can go until there is a glitch and Mickey7 walks in on Mickey8 – Mickey8 who should not exist and who eats too much.

The publisher might call Mickey7 a high concept book, but it's not, really. What it is, is fun. There are a few holes – mostly about Berto – but otherwise, the story hangs pretty together well and I enjoyed it.

Amazing premise, amazing world-building, amazing potential... but a lackluster climax and ending.

I would absolutely read this again, and I recommend that others pick it up, but it did not live up to the hype for me. Mickey7 is the 7th iteration of himself, and his next death and next reincarnation could be at potentially any moment. As an obsolete historian in crippling debt, Mickey does not have many options, so he volunteered to become an expendable, essentially a guinea pig for the expedition to the new planet Niflheim. Any task that may be risky is assigned to Mickey including fixing the hull of the ship in blinding radiation or exploring new areas of the planet where creepers roam.

When Mickey is lost on a mission and assumed to be dead, Mickey8 is commissioned and the cycle continues. This becomes problematic with Mickey7 shows back up at the commune with nothing more than a sprained wrist. The two Mickeys must hide their new secret or risk being recycled.

This book has incredible world-building. As a historian, Mickey flashes back throughout time and shares how the human race got to the point of developing the Union that sends out expeditions and colonizes the universe. He shares how cloning was discovered and how it became so frowned upon. The development and explanations are amazing.

I wish this same detail and development were given to the plot. Although there are conflicts and crazy situations, there is never a feeling of action or intensity. The climax occurs off screen in a fade to black moment, and the resolution is quite "tell" not "show". I really wanted more from this and I hope the show that is being developed from this idea shores up some of these negatives. Go in with low expectations, and enjoy the journey!

Mickey Barnes gets himself into situations, sometimes of his own doing,,sometimes not. Either way they often get him killed. That's his job. Groups attempting to colonize distant worlds can use an Expendable for dangerous or suicidal missions. That's someone who can be reconstructed. The reasons for Mickey taking this job and the complications when something doesn't go as planned are surprisingly enjoyable. Edward Ashton writes a brisk plot that includes interesting characters, good world building and a touch of philosophy. It's a fun read that isn't dumb. I hope to read more from Edward Ashton.

I know I'm the odd one out but this one lost me. I'm a sci-fi dilettante and this, this is for those with a real taste for it. Mickey has escaped his debts by becoming an Expendable on a mission to colonize an ice world. He does the awful jobs and every time he dies, he is regenerated until the 8th time, when he comes back and finds there's a clone of him. He's got to deal with that even as things go wonky on the mission and the ice world. It's an interesting premise but it just didn't resonate. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This is a seriously good adventure! You had me at "hello", (or thoughts of The Martian), with that first line - go read it ;) Excellent plotting, I like Mickey a lot, Berto, not so much. Funny without being outrageous, and not until I finished it did I think, oh, that's a totally doable movie! Good explanations for how and why they got there, very enjoyable read!

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received an eArc of this sci-fi novel through NetGalley in exchange for me honest musings . . .

I really, really enjoyed three days in april by this author so was excited to read this one.  This novel follows Mickey who works as an expendable on a human colony.  Have a job on the colony where the end result is likely death?  Mickey is the solution.  If he dies, no problem.  A new body is made and a backup of his brain is installed.  Only Mickey isn't so thrilled because those memories include how he previously died and the emotions that went with it.

There is also the rule of only one expendable per colony as making new bodies uses precious resources in limited supply.  Mickey7 has experienced death 7 times.  Circumstances occur where he is supposed to die but doesn't.  Only Mickey8 is already baked.  Problems ensue.

I really loved the set up of the book and learning about both the colony and how Mickey found himself in his weird job.  I also loved how flashbacks were used in this novel to slowly give details of the prior versions of Mickey to enhance the story.  I did enjoy Mickey7.

The plot did end up being a bit of a let down in the end.  The middle of the book was kinda slow.  The sections of the two Mickeys in the same colony were unbelievable and poorly done.  Both 7 and 8 should have been caught immediately.  There was relationship angst that could have been interesting but felt more like a red herring.  Also the native creatures aspects of the colony planet were glossed over and simplified.  The resolution of all conflict and the ending of the book left much to be desired.

Most of this book didn't work for me but I don't regret reading it for the parts I did like and the concepts of the expendables' usage in establishing a new colony.  I would read more of the author's work in the future.  Arrrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank ye kindly St. Martin's Press!

Fun story - worth a read. There are too many Mickeys (an expendable that does the most dangerous and suicidal jobs) on this colony. Great snark, good dialogue.

A great escapist fantasy that was originally a novella but turned into a very solid full-sized book. Mickey Barnes is a professional Expendable in a space colony. You need someone to patch up your spaceship, absorbing a lethal amount of radiation that will kill him? Mickey is your guy. Once he dies, a new Mickey will come hot off the vat with his same memories and personality, ready to do it all over again. He’s died and been reborn 6 times, which makes our main character Mickey7. When he’s left to die, Mickey8 is activated but then, Seven survives and they’re in a pickle. In a world with severely limited food and resources, there can’t be two Mickeys. There are also religious zealots who think he’s an abomination. The supporting characters are very well rounded. The situation is pure science fiction but it’s handled in a relatable way. I was surprised at how much less I liked Eight than Seven and, well, that’s the whole point of the book. Is Seven Mickey Barnes at all anymore? The book poses interesting philosophical questions in such a way that you don’t even notice. Lastly, the plot is simply fantastic! So well written and intelligently put together that I’d give Mickey 7 stars if I could. Excellent!
Thank you, NetGalley/#St. Martin's Press!

this is a super readable sci-fi that suffers from not enough expanding on extremely interesting elements
i liked the premise of the switcheroo but it didn't really go anywhere?? like it was fun to explore the concepts of self and identity through mickeys 7 and 8 but i do wish we got more of their dynamic and not in that sylkie manner (SO weird)
plot twist wasn't that big a deal but still fine
i think it's a book that's enjoyable with some pretty interesting themes and good meditations on the concept of 'who are you really after all these iterations' but just didn't fully deliver
very excited for the movie though

This was so much fun! Mickey signs up to be an Expendable for a new mission to colonize a new planet. Being an Expendable means he’s most likely going to die a few times. In fact, our story opens up with the seventh iteration of Mickey. However, after having an accident and assumed dead, a new Mickey is made- but 7 isn’t dead, so now 7 and 8 are trying to make it work so they can both be alive but things get a bit difficult and tricky. Especially when it comes to food rations.

I really enjoyed this! Mickey is a great character and quite funny. There’s a lot of witty banter between the characters which made this so enjoyable. It’s a very accessible science fiction story. The science discussed is interesting but isn’t necessarily the main focus of the story. The characters that are trying to make a go on the icy planet are at the center. I particularly appreciated the discussion about what it means to be a human. If someone keeps getting created over and over again but has the same memories, are they the same person? Do our memories make us who are? It’s definitely good for thought.

I highly recommend this book. It’s a fun ride and was such an enjoyable read. If you like a story with of a rag tag group of people forced to live in close quarters as they are adjusting to life on a new planet, then you’ll like this. It’s fast paced and filled with great characters.

A unique, intriguing story that had me laughing out loud, was just thoroughly enjoyable and a terrific science fiction read!! There were also some moments of dark, gallows humor and I always appreciate those. The story takes place many years in the future after humanity has left Earth and the diaspora to other systems continues. One of those ships has recently landed on the planet Niflheim to colonize it and it didn't turn out to be quite as hospitable as they were hoping. It's your basic giant ice ball and as the crews Expendable, Mickey7 is tasked with all the jobs that will kill a human. Once he's dead, they just bio-print a new version to replace him. And then things go kinda sideways- no spoilers- just be prepared for some thoughtful discussions about immortality, all the horrific ways a human can die and you won't want to stop turning the pages. Absolutely recommend this if you need a terrific sci-fi story!!

Though in the scifi realm, this novel is much more about relationships - with yourself, others and the environment you live in. The scifi aspects include being on a space mission, colonizing planets, tech and weaponry needed to survive - and replicating humans.
It's an interesting concept to have "expendables" as crew members on colonizing missions, people willing to do suicidal tasks to make sure the missions succeed. In this instance, a new version of expendable Mickey is created (Mickey8) when it's presumed Mickey7 has died, not an acceptable situation when rations and energy output are restricted. So, should the "extra" get recycled or can they work together to keep the truth hidden?
The plot is straightforward, but engrossing as Mickey7 attempts to survive, even while the colony is under attack from hostile native creatures. And it brings up the question of whether an expendable life is worth the same as anyone else's, as well as the issue of how far a colony should go to make its new "home" safe and habitable.