This book surprised me! While marketed as sci-fi and a first-contact narrative, its true heart lies in the compelling buddy dynamic between two of the main characters. The author masterfully crafts believable characters whose actions feel organic and authentic within the story's unique context. Their relationship forms the emotional core of the narrative, driving the plot forward and keeping me deeply invested in their journey. The well-developed characters, combined with the intriguing sci-fi elements and the clever first-contact scenario, created a truly engaging and enjoyable reading experience. The ending, hinting at future adventures for the main character and his friend, leaves a satisfying sense of closure while cleverly planting seeds for further exploration of this richly imagined world. I'm eagerly anticipating their next adventure! Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored Ashton’s Mickey 7. I wouldn’t call myself a big sci-fi reader, but Mickey 7 really won me over. It was witty, funny, and wonderfully cynical while also exploring weighty topics like immortality, colonization, and individuality. The blend of absurdity and deeper themes made it such an engaging read. It was so clever and well-written that it left me eager to dive into more sci-fi!

Then came Antimatter Blues, the follow-up still centered on Mickey, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. Snarky, cynical, and outrageously hilarious—it was another hit for me.

So, when I saw The Fourth Consort up for grabs, I couldn’t wait to read it. Even though it wasn’t part of the Mickey 7 series, I was excited, given how much I’d enjoyed Ashton’s previous work. But unfortunately, this one didn’t quite do it for me. ☹

The book isn’t bad, but I just couldn’t get into it. I really wasn’t engaging at all with the political intrigue, hierarchical structuring, cultural divides, and miscommunications. Sure, like Mickey 7, there was some snarky dialogue, but not enough. The humor? It was there, but it leaned more toward dry and understated rather than bold and brash. And honestly, the repetitive elements dragged it down for me. I kept thinking the story would’ve worked much better as a concisely written short story.

The Fourth Consort focused a lot on misunderstandings between species due to language barriers. I feel like I probably experienced that a bit myself while reading this book. I just didn’t “get it”. I’ll also admit that my love for Mickey 7 likely impacted my expectations for The Fourth Consort. That said, I’m not giving up on this author. I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for whatever he comes up with next!

Thank you @netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed voluntarily.

The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton

challenging (for all the wrong reasons).

Slow-paced

Plot or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? It's complicated

2.5 Stars

Suffice it to say, this book/story was not for me. This was an eArc given to me by Net Galley for a fair and honest review...and that's the ONLY reason that I actually finished this book, instead of DNFing it.

I thought it would be a good idea to reread Mickey7, then read its sequel, then read the next published book, Mal Goes to War (even though it was not related to the previous series, nor towards this book), BEFORE reading The Fourth Consort.

Looking back on this strategy, it may not have been the best one. That being said, I'm not sure that IF this book was the first story I had read by this author, it would've been much better, but it couldn't have been worse (sadly).

The way that I viewed this story, is from the anti-Starship Troopers model that Robert Heinlein used (mindless bugs...until you get to the Brain), and also the trope was used in the Alien franchise of movies. Even Orson Scott Card used a similar trope in Ender's Game. In this story, the "bugs" were thinkers, and possibly thought TOO much.

The overall story was TOO convoluted and overcomplicated. In a sense, it seemed to me...the reader, that the author was trying to make a statement...and in doing so, put me to sleep.

I kept putting the book down, just not getting a rhythm with the story, then picking up another book (by another author) and reading it in a day (or two). Then picking this book up, and struggling to read more than a chapter. Then not wanting to pick it up, again.

At first, I thought it was because I got over-saturated by this author's prose (having read all his latest published books), but...no, that wasn't it.

I just never connected with the protagonist, nor the antagonists. The setting was too similar to his previous works, and still different.

I hope someone else likes this book. I really do. I love reading from new authors, and I'm hoping that the next book I pick up from Edward Ashton will be one that I love (or at least tollerate). Sadly, this was one was NOT for me.

The Fourth Consort is a quick, interesting Sci Fi read. I haven't previously read any of Aston's work, but I am eager to pick up something else after finishing this book.

I liked how fleshed out all the races were, especially for this book being on the shorter side. I thought each one was really well defined and their morals/belief systems were well thought out and explained. I thought the mixture of humor was a nice touch to the story. I was really impressed philosophical aspects of this book and was a wonderful surprise.

My only complaint is I never really felt attached to any of the characters. I didn't find myself sitting on the edge of my seat during the intense moments. I can't exactly pinpoint why that is though. Maybe if this had been a longer book? Don't let this discourage you though, I still had a great time reading this book!

I think readers Sci Fi lovers (and those who don't often pick up the genre) will enjoy this one and I encourage you to give it a shot!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

With a synopsis like that, there’s little room to break down the story. But i will say this, Ashton’s ability to make you love the ‘hapless hero’ trope is pretty spectacular and I can’t get enough of it. His main character is the space-faring everyman whose sharp wit and just dumb luck gets him into some pretty interesting situations.

The supporting characters here are also where this book shines. I enjoyed this on audio so the uppity-british accents for the second and third consorts were very comedically received. The ‘Stickman’ and Neera were also quite well developed as we learned about the opposing motivations and the alien cultures, and customs of Dalton’s companion.

Overall, I really enjoyed the pace of this and the mix of light-heartedness with a mix of harrowing scenarios and tribal feuds – which is what is to expect from an Ashton story. Come the for great story and stick around for the sharp wit and eccentric alien characters.

The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton is a fun, adventurous, full of great escapism literature.
I enjoyed this book immensely and am anxious to know if he will continue this storyline or not. I hope the author does. A great read.

I really enjoyed the Mickey novels so I have been looking forward to this one. Unfortunately this one just did not pull me in. With the exception of Dalton, I found the characters extremely unlikeable and the pace very slow. Many will probably enjoy this one, it just wasn’t for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

DNF - 20%
2.5-3 stars

This book just wasn’t working for me. I found it to be slow and I was bored. I didn’t connect with the characters or the story. I found the characters to all be annoying. I read some of the other reviews (both positive and negative) and none of them made me want to continue reading the book.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve had the pleasure of being an early reader for all of the books in this series and I look forward to any other books that come out in this universe! I hope they continue to turn the books into movies! This is completely different than Mickey but equally entertaining and intriguing! I would definitely recommend if you’re into science fiction set in space/ other universes!

#TheFourthConsort: 4️⃣🚀🧑‍🚀⁣
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Thank you @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for my gifted copies! ⁣
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“If you had a brain to match your bulk, you might be dangerous.”⁣
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I’ll be honest, I was iffy starting out. Do I really want to sci-fi this day? The answer is a resounding yes. Even my non-sci-fi friends, this is the one. This is it. ✨slams finger into book for emphasis.✨⁣
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I went in blind because that’s my thing. But I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was such an interesting premise and I really liked the translator aspect of the story. ⁣
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Audio was phenomenal. I had a lot of books to read, but I just kept grabbing the audio because it was so intriguing. Barrie Kreinik had the perfect voice for this. ⁣
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This just released February 25th and honestly, it’s one of my favorites so far because dang this story was so unique and good.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Dalton was reaching an all time low in life on earth. He didn’t have much going for him when he was approached with a job proposal he couldn’t refuse, figuratively. He was hired as the first humankind representative of Unity; a group working towards coexisting with all sentient life. But after an altercation between Unity and the already present Assembly, who was already attempting to accomplish the same task, Dalton ends up marooned on an alien planet. He now has another proposal he is given where he can’t refuse, literally.

There was a lot of this book that was fun and enjoyable. I enjoyed the world building and the cast of characters. Bob and Randall were definitely my favorite with their banter and overall commentary in Dalton’s situation. Unfortunately this storyline was a bit forgettable. It was a good time but not a long time. I understand where Ashton was trying to go in a lot of the story and it was fun but overall it landed a bit flat for me. Maybe I would enjoy it more on a reread but as of right now, I think a 3/5 is where I am landing.

Before diving in I wasn't sure if the tone of The Fourth Consort would work for me in an SFF story, but the synopsis drew me in; I love reading narratives with different cultures and beings coming into contact and trying to mingle and understand the other.

I'm happy to say that the cheeky humour really did work for me, as it was well balanced with the character development and world building. You are immediately dropped into the world, which for some might be a bit jarring, but I like being fed breadcrumbs slowly, looking back at how a character got to where we first meet them.

It did take me a long time to adjust to the third person present tense of the main narrative, however it made sense as it was a clear distinction between the flashbacks and present story line. This is definitely just a me problem though as most of the stories I read are third person past tense.

If you enjoy sci-fi that doesn't take itself too seriously, but is well written and plotted, I would highly recommend The Fourth Consort.

A light, sci-fi adventure on an alien world for a human rep who finds out the task he was assigned might have been misrepresented putting him and all humanity in danger. The Fourth Consort, my first Edward Ashton book, drew my attention because I was told his writing style and plots are similar to another sci-fi author I already enjoy. One glance at the blurb and the cover had me ready to take off on this fun adventure to the stars.

The Fourth Consort is told with a linear timeline that gets interrupted by flashbacks explaining how things came to be the way they currently are. Dalton is a decorated military vet who is good at diplomatic work and now finds himself involved in a First Contact situation that is fraught with intrigue and danger. There are two alien coalitions and humans are on shaky ground with both now a small group is stuck on an alien planet. He’s working with a Unity snail alien who has a human assistant and the Assembly’s shock troop Stickman, and now is meeting another insectoid alien race where he gets claimed as consort which ups the ante for him in his capacity as First Contact in a diplomatic career work. Dalton needs to get the contact right learning cultural and social protocol on the fly for this new race with an AI that translation work is individual and the AI has a snarky sense of humor.
There is a romance, but it feels more space opera than sci-fi romance in that the romance is there, but not given much focus like the work and interactions Dalton has with the various aliens involved. I liked Dalton and the interactions with the main group of alien characters and his AI, but this felt easy-going and entertaining more than a dramatic and serious sci-fi. Since I was expecting a lot of humor, I was ready for this tone and was in the mood for it.

All in all, this was a fun first outing with the author’s books and I recommend it to those who want something light on scientific details, but includes lots of page time meeting and engaging with truly alien aliens and a spot of alien romance for the big hero, and some wit and bantering humor mostly from the AI. I look forward to trying the author’s backlist and recommend this to Space Opera and light sci-fi fans.

I had a particularly difficult time reading this book. From the jump, you’re dropped into the middle of a story without any background. The first few chapters I felt lost in trying to figure out how characters related to one another, and all the jargon. I found the present tense storytelling incredibly distracting and hard to read in general. At the halfway mark, the story absolutely came to a standstill and was a slog to read through. Overall, this wasn’t for me. If you enjoy a slower paced fantasy/science fiction novel, you may enjoy this. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

The Fourth Consort is the fourth book by Edward Ashton I’ve read. I loved Mal Goes to War and also enjoyed Mickey 7 and its sequel. While The Fourth Consort did not topple Mal as my favorite Ashton book, it nevertheless did not disappoint. A first contact story where humans are the contacting aliens, The Fourth Consort explores topics ranging from colonization to politics to honor to friendship. It was a fascinating read, even if its ambition didn’t always pay off. I found I really liked the protagonist, Dalton, and came to root for him as the plot progressed. Overall this is a fun read for fans of books like Old Man’s War, Ashton’s other works, etc.

I’ve read all of Ed Ashton’s novels, and that’s saying something because I usually pick and choose within an author’s oeuvre. This time, Ashton gives us another fun space romp. This standalone SciFi was light and entertaining with an enemies to friends trope.

The Fourth Consort provides ample entertainment, a few life lessons and some cool aliens. Dalton Greaves, an Earthling who’s great at being a soldier but sucks at everything else in life, is on a mission for Unity, making first contact with promising alien species and bringing them into their benevolent fold. Dalton finds himself stranded on a first contact planet with an exopod species whose political strife may mean his death as a pawn in a battle he doesn’t understand. Fellow strandee Breaker is a stickman of a race he’s been taught to fear.

I liked this novel for its genial MC Dalton and its gentle messages about not trusting everything you’ve been told about your enemy. I loved the friendship that develops in this book, something I’d like to see more of in novels. Dalton is a good character to show these themes, because he’s not super bright at times, but he has a good heart and seems to come out on top despite himself. That said, I got a bit frustrated with him at times, because he was a bit too easy going for his dire situation.

I had to laugh because although the space-going races try not to introduce new weapons technology to the first contact species, there’s clearly no attention paid to the Prime Directive...oh whoops, that’s Star Trek, not The Fourth Consort 😆

I recommend this as a standalone, sweet, entertaining and not too complex SciFi. Great escapism!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a gifted copy.

A first-contact sci-fi with dark comedy vibes that will have you fully vetting your next job offer.

This was a weird, but fun sci-fi with great pacing. The premise is that two competing entities land on a planet to try to convince the sentient species that lives there to join their intergalactic organization. Our main character and his colleague become stranded on this planet when his ship attacks the other ship who has sent down their own diplomat. These three 'aliens' are now stranded on an unknown planet with nothing by their drop ships and a sassy, sentient translator.

This reminded me of the worldbuilding from Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time, and the creativity of Mercy of Gods by James SA Corey.

I LOVE the unexpected humour of Mickey7 and Mal Goes to War. They were two of my favourite books of the year when they were released. I was hoping for that whip-smart banter and fun character development here, but it fell short. However Edward Ashton remains a must-read author for me.

Pick this up if you love
🚀 First contact sci-fi
🚀 Predator vs hunter conflicts
🚀 Gladiator-style fights to the death
🚀 A weirdly upsetting love triangle
🚀 Aliens that look like giant bugs
🚀 A sassy, sentient galactic translator, who will melt your brain

This book is best read while watching the first of two suns setting, hoping you'll survive tomorrow's battle.

I’m a big fan of Edward Ashton’s Mickey 7 series so when I saw he had a new book available on NetGalley I didn’t even bother to read the description I just immediately requested it. And I was not disappointed. Ashton delivers yet another humorous sci-fi adventure. Ashton kind of reminds me of some of John Scalzi, in that he takes serious topics, tosses in a healthy dose of the absurd, and yet still makes the stories gripping, emotional, and thought provoking, or much like one of high school history teaches who managed to make history so entertaining that you didn’t realize you’re actually having your beliefs challenged or actually learning. Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me access to an ARC of The Fourth Consort.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fourth-consort-edward-ashton/1145317376?ean=9781250286338&bvnotificationId=c86613f8-f3ce-11ef-ac71-0e7294ef0e6b&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/338917985

The Fourth Consort is such a fun space romp, one in which humans are the aliens, and the culture shock is real. Dalton has found himself on a sort of Alien Welcome Wagon mission to reach out to new worlds, see what's happening, etc. He knows very little about what he's to be doing, but when he and his coworker find themselves on a planet that isn't exactly keen to chat with humans or their allies, he finds himself doing whatever he can to keep himself alive long enough for a rescue.

As it turns out, this is a matriarchal society, and males (of any species) are felt to be fairly useless, more akin to pets than fellow sentients. Dalton winds up being the ultimate "pet"- the fourth consort to the leader, and if he can stay alive long enough, perhaps he can keep all parties involved from killing each other- and him. It is funny, from start to finish, even when the stakes are high and lives are in jeopardy. That levity makes the book very readable, and keeps Dalton's journey extra entertaining. It says this is a standalone, but I rather hope it is not- there is a conclusion, but there is also lots of room for more, and I hope that the door is open for a sequel someday!

Bottom Line: Even though the stakes are high, the lightheartedness and comedic elements make it both fun and exciting.

When Dalton Greaves is recruited for a job under an alien organization he isn’t clear on what it’s about, but there’s the promise of a very rich retirement – if he makes it that long. Eventually things get more interesting that he might have wished. He and an adversary are temporarily stranded while each tries to make an alliance with the native population. A better understanding of the native culture would make Dalton’s life less dicey. He becomes more and more entangled in the politics of the natives. Even with some support and advice from Breaker, his diplomatic opponent, Dalton faces very tough moral choices, not to mention more than a little danger. None of this is as heavy as it sounds. The confusion of navigating two different alien cultures is quite entertaining. There is enough mystery and tension to propel the story to its end.