Book Summary:

The truth is that Mickey7 was never supposed to live this long. He's an expendable, or rather, a retired expendable. This means he was brought along to a new colony with a singular purpose: he's supposed to take on the lethal jobs, dying in the place of other inhabitants.

Mickey7 walked away from that job two years ago, and he's a bit surprised he's lasted as long as he has. Now there's something else happening, and the whole colony may be at risk. Once again, it comes down to Mickey7 to find a way to save the day. Or else.

My Review:

Oh goodie! I honestly didn't expect to get a sequel to Mickey7, but I have to admit, I'm so tickled that we did. (Maybe it's the adaptation announcement that ensured the arrival of Antimatter Blues?) Antimatter Blues is just as quirky and sarcastic as its predecessor, which means it's pretty perfect.

I have to admit; I'm impressed by the situations Mickey7 (and all preceding Mickeys) gets himself into. Okay, impressed and maybe a little bit horrified. But can you blame me? I can see why this series was picked up for an adaptation – it feels like a movie (or show) script – that balance of action, humor, and character development. It'll keep any viewer's eyes glued to the screen.

This duology is perfect for anybody that loves science fiction and laborious debates about the origin of the self (read: Ship of Theseus in space). It's action-packed and full of bold and dynamic characters. This leaves plenty of room for humor, even when the situation couldn't look direr.

As per usual, I loved the characters in Antimatter Blues. There's a new character that I think will sweep readers away. At least, that was the case for me. Anyway, let me know what you think!

Highlights:
Part of a Series
Science Fiction
Aliens!
Colony on another Planet
The Ship of Theseus Debate

Trigger Warnings:
Graphic Details about Death/Injuries

I really enjoyed Mickey 7 so I was looking forward to this sequel. It got off to a really slow start for me and took a while before I got into it, but about halfway through it started to get better, then it finished strong. I really like lighter sci-fi that doesn't take itself too seriously, so this was a refreshing read. I hope there's more in the series because I quite enjoyed the first two installments so far.

DNF'd at 50%

A clone, an astro-punk, and a cosmic worm walk into a space bar.. Sounds interesting, right? I'd hoped so, too. Sadly the writing— often times redundant and sluggish in pacing— made this enticing premise a disappointment.

From page one, I got this strange feeling of déjà vu. Was I sure I hadn't read this already? And then I realized that the book I was actually thinking about was The Martian by Andy Weir, (which I very much enjoyed, by the way).

I'm bummed, because the sci-fi bug lore being introduced was actually interesting. The history of space colonization was good, too. But Mickey Barnes is a cocky cliché, and his anti-hero nonchalance got tiresome before the plot even had a chance to kick off. I just couldn't stick around, not even for awesome space worms.

If I'd come across one more...
"...opens his mouth then closes it again."
"...as a ripple courses through his body."
I don't think my Kobo would've seen another day.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I didn't read the first of the series. I actually didn't know this was even a sequel until I read some other GoodReads reviews. Would I have cared more about the characters' fates had I experience the first half of their space adventure? Eh.. I'm not convinced.

Big thanks to St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary audiobook of ANTIMATTER BLUES by Edward Ashton thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley.

ANTIMATTER BLUES is the sequel to the author’s MICKEY7. This series is set in a human colony on an alien world. Mickey is an expendable, someone who signed on with the expedition to take on all the most dangerous jobs, the jobs that are likely to get him killed. Dying isn’t fun, but it also isn’t a huge problem because technology allows a new Mickey to be brought out of the vat with all of the memories last backed up to the system. The planet they are on has a harsh environment and an alien species not entirely compatible with human life, so every resource and every negotiation counts.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot of this sequel specifically as it would definitely spoil things from book one, but the first book left me curious to see where the series would go. I think there are interesting discussions in the series as a whole about one’s ownership over their self and what makes a person who they are. If you are the seventh iteration of the person who signed on to this mission and this dangerous job, do you have rights to have a different opinion on your situation?

This book follows along in the same vein as book one, but with new discoveries about the world and consequences from the actions taken in book one. I found the alien species interesting as we got to learn a bit more. Overall this was an entertaining and quick read and I thought the audiobook was well done!

ANTIMATTER BLUES is available now!

I was so happy to be back in Mickey's world! Enjoyed that this book was focused more on the outside rather than the Niflheim colony. Also loved that we got to see more of the creepers and one in particular, named "wormey". Def more intense with the fighting and the coming together of species. Also loved that the group of characters from the previous book came together and we got to see more of them together. Also very surprised at the end! Doesn't seem like there will be another book but I would be more than happy if this series continued!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've been on a Sci-Fi kick this past month and decided to finally start Antimatter Blues. I absolutely loved Mickey 7 and was anxious to continue his story.

I'm always leery with a sequel but this did not disappoint. There are thrilling scenes, alien interaction and warfare. The storyline was engaging and easy to get lost in. I especially enjoy the relationship between Mickey and Nasha. They crack me up.

Not sure if there will be more to this series, but if so I am on board. I sincerely appreciate St. Martin's Press for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Really enjoyed this sequel. I have to admit, for the first 20% or so, the words "cash grab" floated across my mind, as it felt like the story was trying to bend over backwards to exist. But once the narrative actually started, and the first contact storyline that was teased in Mickey7 is fully explored, I was hooked! I loved the interactions with the colonists and the alien lifeforms. I think this storyline made me like this book even more than the first one.

Antimatter Blues was a great follow-up to Mickey7. I love funny and quirky characters in scifi, and Mickey is no exception. These are great for fans of Any Weir who like lighter, funnier, accessible science fiction. Looking forward to more in this series, hopefully!

In Niflheim, Mickey Barnes is contacted by Commander Marshall who has been led to believe that the creepers have an antimatter bomb. Mickey is no longer considered an expandable, so he is allowed to live as supposedly he keeps the creepers from using the antimatter bomb. Winter is coming . The antimatter that fuels the colony is running low so the Commander wants it for the colony. Mickey doesn’t know what to do as he h knows if he doesn’t get it back, he may doom the colony. The creepers won’t give up the antimatter without getting something back in return. What do the creepers want? Will Mickey be able to solve the problem and keep everyone alive?

This novel is the thriller following “Mickey7.” I recommend reading the first book before reading this one. This story clears up the lies that Mickey told. This science fiction thriller novel is a compelling read with world building and thrilling story twists. I enjoy reading this novel due to author’s expert writing.

Following immediately after "Mickey 7", the title character is back, but this time he needs to recover a deadly antimatter bomb from the weird creatures that everyone believes have it. Except Mickey 7, our hapless "expendable" clone, knows the truth, but when he goes to recover it so the colonization base can utilize its potential energy to offset an impending weather apocalypse, it's gone! This story is then the tale of him working with - and sometimes against - the natives to recover the bomb before it's too late.

I enjoyed this as a sequel, it's a fast and entertaining read. My only criticism would be that at times the characterization of his partner Adjaya is a bit too rough-edged, making me wonder whether Mickey 7 is simply a masochist for sticking in a relationship with her. Overall, though, a likeable crew and a fun read.

4.5 stars

This was a fun follow-up to the first book. While you could probably read this book without reading the first one, I really think you should go back and read the first one if you haven't yet, mainly so that you can avoid spoilers. And because the first book was a lot of fun. Basically, Mickey did something near the end of the first book that is now coming back to bite him in the butt. On paper, Mickey is an aggravating character because he has always skimmed through life and does the minimum possible to get by. It's no wonder his supervisors always want to throttle him. But he also tends to take out his own frustrations with the supervisor on others, making him not the most popular guy. In a colony in a hostile world where everyone needs to pull their own weight, Mickey is that guy that makes you want to slap him. And yet--I can't help but root for him.

In this book, he somehow ends up as the leader of an expedition to negotiate with the local alien species. The same ones that killed at least two of the previous Mickeys. But he ended up surviving, and they haven't heard from them since the events of the first book. Naturally, Mickey is probably the last person you would want in sensitive negotiations with a hostile species. And naturally, he ends up being the best person for the job, because he looks at things differently. He's not a fighter, he's not the most intelligent, he jumps in often without thinking (which is how he ended up as an expendable in the first place), and he usually tries to talk his way out of everything. Which I think is perfect when you're dealing with a species whose culture and values are completely different from yours.

I loved his girlfriend, Nasha, and best friend, Berto, who have larger roles in this book. I thought that Ashton did a great job of keeping this story fresh, especially because the unique element of Mickey being an Expendable in the first book was no longer the main issue. Instead, he focused on their interactions with the Creepers and the challenge of two very different cultures clashing. I loved Speaker and quite a few of their conversations had me laughing out loud. I really hope Ashton decides to write another book for this series because I'd love to have more!

If you're looking for a quick and fun sci-fi book, I highly recommend both books.

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

Two years after the conclusion of Mickey7, we pick up on how life has been treating Mickey now that he is "retired". The colony is running short on energy, and there is fear that they will not be able to survive the winter to come without reclaiming the antimatter that Mickey hid away. Mickey and Nasha embark on a mission to reclaim the antimatter in order to save their people and new adventures, and some new species are discovered.

This was another beautifully light and entertaining bit of Science Fiction. I may have liked this even more than Mickey7 simply because we got to go out into this new planet and get a better feel for the place the colony is trying to build a home. Niflheim is not only unknown, but kind of a terrifying place when you don't know the lay of the land. The continued communication with the creepers was very entertaining and interesting to see how Ashton created a race that has a very different mindset and beliefs than a typical human or group of humans would.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and the series as a whole has been a refreshing delight.

This sequel to Mickey 7, which I really enjoyed, was somewhat disappointing. I found the "expendables" aspect of Mickey 7 to be quite interesting and it was pretty much the focal point of the story, while in Antimatter Blues it was more of a minor side-note to the story. Overall the story did not really hold my attention, particularly the first third of the book, and I found the chief protagonists endgame actions out of character.

This was a very enjoyable story. This is the second story in this series that I have read and I can’t wait to read more by this author. This had me on the edge of my seat, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and there was so much suspense that you don’t know where it’s going to go next. I hope there is more to come in this series.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Now it's summer on Niflheim, the lichens are growing, the six-winged-bat-creatures are chirping and, weirdly for him, Mickey Barnes is still alive. But only because Commander Marshall is convinced the colony's creeper neighbours are holding an antimatter bomb and Mickey is the only reason they are not using it. So Mickey is considered as another colonist and he's now living not a bad life, after all, cleaning rabbit hutches. But that's not going to last.
The antimatter is running low, the colony needs and Marshall wants his bomb back. If Mickey retrieves it, he will lose the only thing protecting him. But retrieving it, means damning the colony. Also, the creepers have their own worries and Mickey finds himself between two species and trying not to damn both or either of them. If something goes wrong, he could not coming back this time.

Antimatter Blues is the brilliant sequel od Mickey7 and it's fascinating, amazing and so good to read. It's an awesome sci-fi read and I felt involved since the beginning, I couldn't stop reading it, I needed to know what would have happened next!
Edward Ashton's novel is truly a masterpiece and I definitely recommend it to anyone fan to sci-fi or simply very good stories!

This sequel to “Mickey 7” picks up two years later, with life in the human colony of Niflheim settling down to as normal as it can get after finding out there are actual intelligent alien life on their new world. It’s summer, but that’s a relative term, and a long winter is coming.

Mickey Barnes learns the reactor is running low on fuel, so he’s tasked with retrieving the bomb he used to bring the potential war with the creepers to a détente. Mickey has “retired” as the mission’s Expendable, but if he refuses the mission, the entire colony will die once winter takes hold. Only problem is it’s not where he left it. Oops.

We get to see more of Niflheim and the various creatures that already lived there this time around, and how they interact with each other, the humans, and the world around them. The creepers seem to be just as intelligent as the humans, but with a totally different concept of the universe.

There’s a dark sense of humor that was also present in the first book, but there is a bit more action and suspense this time around. The Ship of Theseus issue around cloning Expendables is mentioned, but it’s not as much of an existential crisis for Mickey since he’s no longer an Expendable. It’s more about just surviving on a harsh world with creatures humans can’t comprehend.

I’m assuming a third book is in the works, as the first one is slated to be a film by Bong Joon-ho in March 2024, and I’m looking forward to the film as well as another book.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the Arc of this fun one!

Really enjoyed this sequel to Mickey7! I'm always a fan of sci-fi, but combining it with the thriller genre really kept me on the edge of my seat!
I really appreciated how well the author built up and explained the world and environments in a clear way that made envisioning the scenes so easy!
Great and fun read!

Now THERE are the aliens I was promised.

I am a huge fan of the sentient native life in this series. Their attempts to understand humans are absolutely precious. Their consistent underestimation of just how fucked up humans can be is adorable. It's so hard to say anything about this book without spoiling the best parts of it! But long story short, if Mickey 7 entertained you at all, Antimatter Blues will delight. Also I cried twice. Don't judge.

Holy moley, I loved this book. It ended tidily and I'm not sure if there will be a third, but I sure hope so! I just love how Edward Ashton writes, he's got heavy Andy Weir/Becky Chambers/John Scalzi vibes. Sometimes we need stories that will make us smile, and I know I will every time I pick up one of Edward Ashton's books. Well done. 6/5 stars

This is a great book for those that love dystopian and scifi. I do recommend reading this series in order as it’ll make the inside jokes more understandable.