With both Mickey 7 (my #13 book of 2022) and its sequel Antimatter Blues earning strong 4-star ratings from me, I was excited to receive an ARC of Edward Ashton's latest novel, The Fourth Consort, and to see what he had come up with in a non-Mickey world. The novel's protagonist is Dalton Greaves, a human from Earth recruited by an alien-led company called Unity to help them find and colonize other more primitive civilizations across the universe. He's paired with Boreau, a giant snail-like creature and commander of their mission, and Neera, another human who is tasked with studying new planet biospheres and resource bases. Dalton's job is to make first contact with other species and effectively act as Unity's diplomatic liaison.

The novel opens with one such first-contact meeting, between Dalton and a group of creatures called minarchs. Via a translation device, Dalton is able to communicate with the minarchs, and we learn that he's not the first to contact them. Just days prior, a "stickman" from Unity's rival colonization company, known as "the Assembly", had visited, and the novel becomes a competition between Dalton and the stickman to determine who can best befriend the minarchs and secure the planet for their respective group.

When Dalton, Neera, and the stickman—who comes to be known as Breaker—are temporarily stranded on the planet, the stakes are raised. While the off-planet visitors may be more technologically advanced, the minarchs have a natural predatory advantage over the humans. The minarchs are "considerably bigger than a human...with a half-dozen armored legs, a segmented, tapering body that ends in a wickedly barbed tail, and an insectile head topped by a predator's forward-facing eyes." Add in that stickmen are even more lethal, a group used as "the Assembly's shock troops" and notorious for being killing machines, and Dalton is at constant risk of death and dismemberment.

Against that backdrop Ashton builds a scenario in which Dalton must unravel the internal politics of the minarch society, while keeping himself alive and also keeping alive the hope that he can preserve the relationship for Unity. While the situation is perilous, the tone is somewhat jocular (not dissimilar to what we saw in Ashton's Mickey 7 novels), and so the level of white-knuckling is kept to a minimum. However, despite the potential for layers of palace politics, there's not a tremendous amount of mystery or plotting in the novel. The most interesting wrinkles come when Dalton's translation device struggles with certain parts of the minarchs' and stickman's language, leaving critical holes in Dalton's understanding of what those species are actually saying to him. The margin for error is already slim given the complexity of understanding nuances of a new society, and omitting key concepts as "<UNTRANSLATED>" adds an extra layer of stress to Dalton's mission. It's also a low-effort way to build in some misdirection, and one that Ashton employed a bit too often as a crutch when needing to manipulate a situation.

While the novel was enjoyable, it lacked some of the depth of plot that I'd come to expect from Ashton via his previous books. He uses flashbacks to Dalton's time before arriving on the minarchs' planet to help more fully develop that character. That was, for the most part was an effective tool. But like the "untranslated" crutch above, there were also moments where doling out that backstory in pieces felt too convenient, never more so than when it's casually revealed near the end of the book that Dalton happened to participate in an unusual sport in high school and college, just before having skills in that sport would become useful in a situation. That reveal felt a little lazy, and honestly unnecessary.

And so overall this one was just okay. I wasn't disappointed by the read, but it fell short in places to the level of my expectations following the Mickey 7 novels. I'd suggest starting with those if you're looking for a sci-fi novel with a decent dose of humor and societal commentary—they're quite good. The Fourth Consort felt a bit lackadaisical by comparison, and it's probably one you can skip.

When trying to figure out what exactly to say about this book - because I liked it, but I'm not sure why I liked it?? - I realized that it's totally my thing ... but the masculine version of whatever "my thing" is. The Fourth Consort is SF with a fast-paced plot and a conflict based on cultural misunderstanding. The hero of the book is a near-future Renaissance Man: humble, intelligent, sarcastic, but not afraid to defend his ideals with his life, Dalton Greaves studied engineering at Carnegie Mellon, was an officer in the armed forces who saw action and was even a POW, and is a former successful tech employee who now works as a first contact specialist with the Union.

Except his current assignment turns out to be a total FUBAR situation when his first contact specialist "stick man" counterpart from the rival Alliance gets in before he does with the newest alien civilization.

Soon Dalton finds himself at the center of politics on this new planet. He's married off to their Queen (or is that their First Among Equals?) while also navigating a fraught bromance with that stick man. But also, everyone seems like they're out to kill him ... maybe? Or it could be that his translator is just malfunctioning...?

While I didn't find this groundbreaking, it was super entertaining, and I was always invested in how Dalton was going to get himself out of another (extremely violent) pickle. The closest comp I can think of is if Megan Whelan Turner's Thick as Thieves were written by Isaac Asimov. and yeah, those two tastes together are definitely a little odd!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

It's official, I am totally an Ed Ashton fan. I have enjoyed every book of his I have read so far and will absolutely keep reading his stories going forward. I love the humor, and his characters are always so interesting and grow throughout the story and while you think you know where the story is going, he always ends up surprising you and taking it places you don't expect. The Fourth Consort is a standalone and takes place in the far future as humanity has spread beyond Earth and are coming into contact with new species. Our protagonist, Dalton, is one of 2 human crew aboard a spaceship, the Good Tidings, which belongs to Unity, a group that makes first contact with sentient species. He is now on a planet with the minarchs, a species of intelligent, very large insect-like creatures and let's just say his diplomacy is........not going well. As Dalton struggles with trying to understand not only the minarchs language and customs, he also has competition from another species known as the Assembly, who are definitely not friendly with Unity.

One of Ed's strengths is how relatable he makes his characters, and Dalton is so easy to like, and you understand how he has gotten himself to this point in his life. While you are not certain that his bosses are on the right side of things, Dalton is trying his absolute best in a tough situation, and you can see his growth throughout the story. His self-deprecating humor and interactions with his interpreter, Neera and the other characters is spot on. I don't want to spoil anything but his relationship with the Assembly representative is such a highlight of the story, and I love a good bromance!!! If you don't read a lot of science fiction and are looking for a good entry novel, this totally fits the bill!! I absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a great scifi read. Am also thinking this would make a great movie as well!!

OMG This title. 😂 Knowing that the author wrote Mickey7 my first thought was consort to what? 😱 Dalton is essentially a mercenary who ends up in the middle of a diplomatic political conundrum on an alien planet. Oh, did I mention that it’s a matriarchal society? Add in the fact that he’s a male with obviously no power or authority to this particular sect of aliens. His soft parts are outside his body and therefore he must be puny and weak no matter what the enemy delegation claims about humans being deceptive and dangerous. Resident aliens laugh at such a concept.

My favorite characters were probably Consort 2 and Consort 3. Might as well make popcorn and watch the show. But don’t ask about Consort 1. We don’t talk about Consort 1. When Dalton ends up in the middle of two factions of the indigenous Minarch society vying for power, what’s a puny human to do? Second one side in the ensuing duel, of course. Soft human parts and all. All laughs aside, I did enjoy his friendship or frenemyship with Breaker. Is it too much to hope that we will see them again?

I laughed off and on throughout this tale. It was entertaining and fun. It has the snark of Andy Weir with the lighter touch Sci-Fi of Rob Hart or John Scalzi. Just don’t take it too seriously.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy provided for an honest review.

The Fourth Consort is sci-if that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Two humans (Dalton and Neera) stranded on a planet while trying to make first contact with an unreceptive host and a more honorable alien adversary (Breaker) who is trying to do the same.
Dalton constantly brought to mind Mark Watney of the Martian. Humorous and self deprecating I frequently laughed out loud. Honor, morality and humanity or lack of come into play here. While Dalton finds himself in constant untenable situations with Breaker as his unlikely ally. Really enjoyed this story and wished I could read more of this friendship. Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press for this early edition.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I really liked The Forth Consort, it was an easy to read sci-fi that I feel like would be easily digestible for those who are new to the genre. I liked the premise, the writing was to the point, and I genuinely enjoyed the characters! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

I'm going to be the odd one out and it's my fault - I'm not a huge sci-fi fan and this novel of first contact hit me at about my limit. That's on me not Ashton who does a good job with the characters. I appreciated the worldbuilding but I would have like more of it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

DNF. Very plain, blunt prose, minimal worldbuilding, not terribly interesting characters. I'm not sure this is a bad book, so much as, it's not the kind of sci fi I like to read and that I hoped it was - but I do have a hard time imagining who might love it. (Not like, love.)

The Fourth Consort is, at its heart, a novel of first contact with an alien species, although it's more than that - it's about learning who you are, and how that fits in with others. Dalton Greaves is an ex-soldier with no family and no real prospects, when he's contacted by Neera, the human assistant to Boreau, an alien most closely resembling a very large snail. Boreau is a member of the Unity, a multi-species organization that exists to bring more species into its community, in competition with the Assembly, which exists, effectively, for the same purpose. The two groups are in competition for new members - a competition in which they both attempt to gain the insectoid minarchs, the inhabitants of a newly-discovered world, as new members.

Throughout his time on the minarchs' world, Dalton navigates the honor codes of humanity as well as that of the minarchs and Breaker, as he calls the representative of the Assembly, a species known to humanity as stickmen, for their long limbs, exoskeletons, and generally similarity in appearance to walking sticks (the insect). Dalton and Breaker, as polite enemies each courting the minarchs, converse often about the aims of their respective organizations, and attempt to navigate the complex honor code of the minarchs' society while not truly understanding it. This is a novel with serious themes, but also a lot of appropriate humor - appropriate in that it enhances the characters and the plot. Recommended for older teens and adults.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Edward Ashton’s The Fourth Consort is a remarkable addition to the first-contact science fiction genre, delving into the intricate realms of language, culture, and the inevitable miscommunications that arise when two vastly different civilizations collide. I absolutely loved this book! Ashton, known for his sharp wit and compelling storytelling in Mickey7, has once again crafted a world that feels immersive and thought-provoking.
In The Fourth Consort, humanity encounters an alien species so different from our own that even their ways of thinking are almost incomprehensible. Ashton masterfully illustrates how difficult (and often absurdly frustrating) true communication can be, especially when there is no shared cultural context. Ashton’s use of misunderstandings and mistranslations cleverly highlights how language is not just words but a vast cultural web that shapes how we see the world—and each other.
One of the most compelling aspects of the story is how Ashton tackles the common tropes in first-contact stories with a fresh perspective. Instead of relying on standard science fiction stereotypes, Ashton digs deeper into what happens when both sides genuinely strive to understand one another, even when faced with what seems like insurmountable differences. The story is as much about what it means to be human as it is about the aliens themselves, and that makes it resonate on a profound level.
Speaking of Mickey7, fans of that novel (like me!) will be thrilled to know that Ashton’s knack for blending action, humor, and philosophical musings continues here. After Mickey7 was picked up for a movie, I'm even more excited to see how his unique storytelling style will translate to the screen, as this book feels cinematic in scope and richly layered in themes.
Overall, The Fourth Consort is a must-read for science fiction lovers, especially those interested in stories of first contact that explore language, culture, and the inherent messiness of trying to understand the unfamiliar. Ashton’s thoughtful exploration of communication and culture clash is as entertaining as it is enlightening.

2.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Abandoned around the 40% mark.
The premise seemed great and the book started out strong, but the scope of the story quickly narrowed down into one I just found fundamentally uninteresting. On top of that none of the characters seemed realistic or fleshed out, and everything had a layer of meta humor on top of it that I just find annoying.

I love Edward Ashton’s sci- fi novels! The Fourth Consort was a fast- paced , humor filled tale of “first contact” with two separate factions, Unity and Assembly, both arriving on the primitive Minarch planet vying to win over allegiance to their federations and trying to gain the upper hand to secure the Minarchs’ allegiance. As the two envoys are greeted by the sentient planet -bound Minarchs, the two Mother ships belonging to Unity and Assembly, blow each other out of the sky effectively stranding the Unity team (Dalton & Neera) along with the Assembly representative (an alien “stickman” Breaker). What transpires is a three way cultural struggle to communicate amid a Minarch political coup with Daltons’ snarky AI translator getting the best lines. Loved this story !

Highly Recommended for fans of Becky Chambers and John Scalzi.

The Fourth Consort is a very creative book centered on interplanetary diplomats. Earth has been visited by a superior species, but life hasn't changed that much other than a few people get employed to be emissaries with the aliens to visit other sentient life. The few who come back alive are fabulously wealthy and reticent to discuss what they saw or did.
Dalton gets recruited to this bizarre role immediately after getting dumped at a bar. Free of attachments or purpose, he signs up. Earth's boss is in a race against the Assembly, and each group thinks the other is pure evil. Both are racing to get to civilizations before they kill themselves, which many do.
Dalton and his human recruiter Mira land on a planet inhabited by insectoids and get separated by their alien minder, when the Assembly show up and have a space battle. Dalton decides to go on with the mission to try to make relations, and so does the Assembly's emissary, who he comes to call Breaker.
They get involved in the internal politics of the female=dominated culture, with lots of intriguing twists and turns, threats, confusion, and critical gaps in AI translation.
Descriptions of the various species and how their worldviews do or don't help them understand each other are excellent, although more of Earth's relations and why they are needed to do this would be helpful.
Overall, great reason to think about cultural assumptions, how they evolve, and bias for what we know -- while also entertaining!

"Still you think that the fact that we descended from the goddamned sky would get us some kind of respect, wouldn't you?"

I'll write more tomorrow when I am feeling better. Suffice to say that I like this one better than Mickey7, and that was a great book!

A very sci-fi read that is not at all book to cozy up with to relax. I was hoping for something more on the lines of Mickey 7 and its sequel, but this was more about alien-human relations.

This is a 'first contact' story but has so many layers. Earth has been invaded by a company named Unity that hires humans to travel space and make first contact with new species. The goal is to bring them under the Unity fold for peace and prosperity. There is a major competitor, The Assembly, that arrives at the same time as our main characters. Dalton is the muscle, Neera is the support person and an alien is in charge of the ship. There is intrigue, translation issues, misunderstandings of the alien society as well as misunderstandings of their true purpose. Overall an enjoyable read.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ashton's The Fourth Consort. Like Mickey7, the book offers a humorous representation of work; our character is an expandable "ground-pounder," working off-Earth to escape his troubles and make it to a big payday. The book's also a clever take on the first contact plot. Here, first contact involves humans working for an interstellar agency recruiting planets into its federation: How do you convince other sentient species that your vision of progress is the right one? How do concepts of honor square with the overwhelming forces of technology?

Ashton makes compelling use of the problem of translation, as the protagonist's AI companion can't always fully or accurately translate the speech of non-human characters. Sometimes the results are funny, but they also end up being moving, as progressively better translations reveal not only new threats but also surprising intimacies.

Overall, The Fourth Consort is a relatively fast-paced story about cultural difference and communication, well-written with pointed (not quite slapstick) humor. As a point of criticism, I will say that the human characters are directly from central casting, even the details of the protagonist's personal history reading like the equivalent of a prepackaged frozen meal.

Edward Ashton is quickly becoming one of my favorite sci-fi authors. This is a good read if you have enjoyed his other books. I was intrigued by the first contact style story with some alien politics thrown in. This book is humorous and quirky. If you enjoy John Scalzi, you should give this one a try.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!

Having already experienced Ashton’s writing through Mickey7, I had a modicum of expectation for the dark, sardonic humor The Fourth Consort possesses in abundance. Mixed with a touch of weirdness, even for the Scifi genre, the story of Neera and Dalton goes down in my reading repertoire as creative, a bit disturbing, and just plain fun—but with a grimace. A bit like the old rides at pop-up fairs, such as The Zipper, Ashton’s writing should always be given a go at least once for the experience but never on a full stomach.

Dalton begins the story with a sarcastic disposition, a sullen attitude, and a bleak outlook on everything in existence. He’s a representative for humanity and a type of planetary confederation, Unity, on a mission to establish contact—and, of course, beneficial trading agreements—with previously undiscovered lifeforms in the ever-expanding known universe. His sidekick, Neera, shares a remarkably similar personality, excepting a moral compass.

With these two space hoppers, readers travel to a planet populated with warrior insect-type beings, which I interpret to be some resemblance to praying mantises, given the matriarchal structure of their society and their tendency to kill and eat the males (all off-page allusions) after mating. I’ll leave the details of what the title means to readers, should any decide to pick the book up and give it a read. It’s certainly very Ashton-like.

For a book that doesn’t quite hit the 300-page mark, this one packs an awful lot in a smaller space Ashton’s writing is both dense and concise, making The Fourth Consort a great choice for those who want the genre but not the hefty investment of time. Stopping far shy of the over-the-top humor in first contact comedies like Mars Attacks or Galaxy Quest, Dalton’s experiences with the minarchs still manages to offer something deeper for him to experience.

I appreciated Ashton’s humor immensely. Not much in books can make me laugh, but the wit had an air of intellectuality about it. For all his attempts at professionalism, Dalton sinks into a few spots of familiarity with some of his contacts/counterparts and lets some idioms and exasperations slip. To my delight, the characters clap back at him, showing humanity does not have the corner market on sarcasm.

Overall, 4/5. It’s hard to find fault with Ashton, though some of the background story could have used a tad more development where Unity is concerned. A lot is left to interpretation, which I don’t necessarily like, but it does make for great literary discussions in classrooms or book groups.

Heads up—this book contains explicit language and descriptive violence.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the DRC/ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book, releasing February 25th!

This was my first Edward Ashton novel and I really enjoyed it! It's sort of a first contact story (there are other elements beyond that as well) and falls into my favorite genre of sci-fi with the more anthropological elements of cultural adaptation and (mis)understanding as well. It was a quick read but stayed engaging-I liked most of the characters and the pace was brisk but not too speedy. I was initially not sure how Ashton would pull off a satisfying ending, but I liked where it ended up. A lot of the bigger ideas and implications stayed fairly surface level, and I would have been interested to learn more about the larger context of the two groups running the show who were in conflict, but I also think it wasn't a bad choice to keep the scope of this more narrow.

Simple but effective, quick pacing, likable main characters (Dalton and Breaker specifically), and a good amount of humor throughout. Recommended for a quick and enjoyable sci-fi jaunt!