"Crew of Exiles" by Neal Holtschulte is an engaging science fiction novel that takes readers on an enthralling journey through a vast universe filled with danger, mystery, and unexpected alliances. Set in a future where humanity has colonized various planets, the story follows a diverse group of exiles who must navigate treacherous space to find their place in a hostile galaxy.
One of the book's strengths lies in its well-developed and diverse cast of characters. Each member of the crew brings a unique set of skills, motivations, and personal histories, which adds depth and complexity to the narrative. The author excels at showcasing their individual struggles and growth, making it easy for readers to connect with and root for them.
The world-building in "Crew of Exiles" is impressive. Holtschulte crafts a detailed and immersive universe, painting vivid landscapes and civilizations that feel distinct and rich in cultural nuances. From bustling spaceports to desolate planets, the author's descriptive prose brings these settings to life, capturing the reader's imagination.
The plot unfolds at a steady pace, filled with unexpected twists and turns. The story is brimming with action sequences, tense confrontations, and moral dilemmas that keep the reader eagerly turning the pages. While the narrative is gripping overall, there are moments where the pacing could have been tighter, as certain sections feel slightly drawn out.
Holtschulte's writing style is accessible and straightforward, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the story without unnecessary distractions. The dialogue is crisp and natural, further enhancing the authenticity of the characters' interactions.
However, one aspect that could have been further explored is the deeper exploration of the story's themes. While the book touches on topics such as identity, loyalty, and survival, it occasionally skims the surface without delving into them fully. A deeper exploration of these themes would have added additional layers of depth to the narrative.
In conclusion, "Crew of Exiles" is a captivating science fiction novel that delivers an entertaining and thought-provoking reading experience. Neal Holtschulte's imaginative world-building and compelling characters make for a thrilling journey through space. Although the pacing and thematic exploration could have been refined, fans of science fiction will undoubtedly find themselves engrossed in this gripping tale of survival, camaraderie, and self-discovery.

This science fiction novel is an introspective journey to the heart of humanity. An intriguing look at whether/why humans have more value than robots or AI?

The plot developments give us good insight into the MC and the secondary ones, and this clever, character-driven story will keep readers engaged until the very end.

I liked the world building and the concept, felt more like I was playing a rpg game. This book was filled with humor and emotions and makes you think about a lot of things, especially humanity. Now Starting this book I had high hopes for it but it was of to quite a slow start which made me almost five up on it. And the names in this book were a bit hard to remember and confusing. Plus the way the chapters ended was a bit confusing as well and it kind of felt a bit clustered and rushed but overall a decent read.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4,5 out of 5
crew of exiles is not your typical far future utopias / dystopia tale. it is quite long but the narrative and plot is dished out is small bite sized chapters and unfolds at a brisk pace. the story has 4 POV characters, each bringing their own unique histories and perspectives, with Holtschulte writing each uniquely. there are many large and small mysteries involving the world and the characters that are resolved very well and by the end I was very satisfied with where everyone ended up.

This book can be a challenge at times, especially the first couple chapters and at times numerous chapters telling the same events from different POVs, If you know what you are getting into before - that this book requies your full attention, empathy, and imagination, it is so very worth it.

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Thank you to Net Galley and Haste Publishing for access to an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Crew of Exiles is an introspective scifi novel, somehow at once action packed thriller and soft, philosophical deconstruction of what it means to be human.

The writing style was easy to follow and flowed well. The multiple points of view were easily distinguished, with their own unique voice and tone that made the characters feel distinctly alive and interactive. Fife was an instant favourite, with her truly good moral code and ideals, though Nesh was a close second.

Many of the chapters ended abruptly, which was an odd writing style that took a while to adjust to. I would have liked more backstory, more overt worldbuilding - what really are posthumans? How did they come to be? How far along in the timeline of earth is this book set?

The ending felt rushed and lacklustre, from Namar’s entrance onwards I had little grasp of character motivations and plot threads as they hurtled towards something I was being *told* made sense, but did in fact not work.

Overall, an interesting read, for those who like introspective and/or apocalypse scifi with multiple pov.

3/5

This is a fascinating, and at times challenging, sci-fi book. It tells the story of Beryl, a post-human entity–effectively, a god, or at least a titan–sentenced to be trapped on Earth in a sickly human body as punishment for his crimes against the post-human order. The nature of these crimes is not apparent until later in the book, but it’s clear they strike against everything that culture values.

Wandering the nearly-desolated planet, Beryl eventually comes into contact with a woman named Fife, who has been happily living in a virtual reality pod for what amounts to innumerable “in-game” lifespans, honing her skills in all manner of simulations. When they finally meet “IRL” Fife is everything Beryl is not: plucky, optimistic, and competent. Beryl regards her as an “airhead gamer,” but reluctantly joins her “party,” seeing it as his best bet for escaping a planet he loathes.

Gathering two more lost individuals and one spaceship, they manage to depart the Earth, but doing so quickly draws the attention of the psst-humans who exiled Beryl in the first place. Unable to escape their godlike powers, he is forced to confront his past and try to find a way to atone for many mistakes.

If you like trippy, challenging sci-fi that encourages you to think about the nature of humanity, this is a good book to read. And especially if you are a gamer, as many of Fife’s observations from the world of simulations will feel familiar to veteran players of RPGs.

This is a 3.5 star review rounded up to 4 stars.

Crew of Exiles follows a group of damaged characters as they react to a mystery, a catastrophe, and a philosophical dilemma. Set in a future where some of humanity has left Earth to experience a post-human existence and some of humanity has inexplicably disappeared, the novel deals with themes and ideas that look at how we interact and how our existence can be defined by our emotions.

I was about halfway through when I realized that Crew of Exiles was reminding me of old school science fiction; working on a couple of ideas with characters who served the plot with a bit of depth. I like that about the book. I also like that it's not the first of a series. The story very much ends.

Crew of Exiles is a good read. It doesn't break new ground, but it examines its ideas well.

Thank you, Haste Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for honest review!
I’m not a big sci-fi person, mainly to the technical language and complexity of worldbuilding, but the description really pulled me in, so I knew I had to give this one a chance. And to be honest, through the first 3 or 5 chapters, it was the description that kept me going with the book. Personally, I don’t think they were all completely necessary to the plot, especially since they didn’t answer many questions about the world either. It was only around chapter 6 or 7 when the book starts to get attractive, and I didn’t have to look at the last page to keep my interest going. I’m not sure if it was pacing or style of writing, but some questions weren’t answered until the second half or very end, but it didn’t feel like they should be answered so late. Characters were strong and clearly, they were the main focus of the book, which makes you want to keep going just to see what happens with them, which I really liked.
My main problem was Nesh’ character, the only non-binary one (unless I missed something else, but Ohnsy is very much female). As much as I love representation and use of they/them pronouns, I really dislike the trope of making aliens/robots the only non-binary representation, especially in the case when they basically just learn who they are as a person.

Rating: 3.5/5

An intelligent thought provoking sci fi romp .I very much enjoyed the backbone of this novel which looks deeply into what it means to be human .In a world where it is possible to become immortal by having your brain function replicated and placed into a body of your choice as many times as you need are the resultant beings truly human .Do they have more validity than an artificial intelligence
I wandered initially why the main character with pronounce he was called Beryl it seemed an odd choice Until the duality of his personality is explained.It took some time for the clues to his status were revealed the author does this cleverly by drip feeding the information as you read .At any one time you understand just enough to follow the story .The ultimate dawning was highly satisfying to the reader
I loved the way the humanness was explored by introducing us to other more human characters and one who’s character is in the developing stage and who early on eco it’s some nicely described autistic traits

I particularly enjoyed this sentence from the novel “The real world certainly had niche appeal from a gamers point of view “ lovely that made me chuckle
I would recommend this book to those who like a sci fi novel with intelligence and great characters
I read an early copy on NetGalley Uk the book is published by Haste publishing on 21st August 2022

An interesting story with an unusual cast of characters. This one will probably stick with me for a while. This study in relationships was surprisingly emotional at times. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!

The world is left with a gamer as only human left alive. Everyone else has disappeared. Then she discovers, Beryl, a post human sentenced to 1000 years in human form. After a period of time they discover two more people. They leave Earth in a spaceship and battle the humans hidden on the moon and post humans....

A swashbuckling adventure through the stars, starring a crew of exiles that range from flawed, to angry, to lost to downright unlikeable. Although how would you feel if you got torn down from your godlike status for helping a friend? We follow as a lone gamer escapes her virtual world in an attempt to find true adventure, dragging along sentient androids and cast down gods as they quest for purpose, or peace, or just call themselves captain of the greatest spaceship ever built.
Holtschulte’s writing is the perfect blend of impressive sounding science fiction mumbo jumbo, with superhuman beings quantum leaping around the universe and climbing Escher stairs in their mansions, made even more fantastical by the wit and personality of the crew we follow adding a light-hearted touch to every page of the book.
This is one of the few books where I struggle to find any constructive criticism, whether it’s the perfect type of science fiction where the state of human race almost seems plausible, or the way there isn’t a dull page and yet the book never comes across as rushed, I would say this is definitely a book worth picking up off the shelf.

Who doesn't like a good book full of exiles and rejects? Exactly. The writing is smooth and while full of lots of techno-babble, it still makes an easy and fun packed read. Each chapter is written in the perspective of a different character, and each does indeed have their own voice. You may not like some of them throughout the book, but that's fine, as you don't need to to empathise with them on their individual journeys.

A fun little read, with more than a few feels kicked in there.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a digital copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows a sci-fi universe that is set very far ahead into the future, where humanity has ceased to exist as we know it. The main character, Beryl, has been confined to a mortal body and banished to Earth, as an act of punishment for his past actions. He journeys to the land of a severely underpopulated Earth, where he meets Fife, a bubbly lover of all things virtual, and Nesh, a quiet person with intertwined connections to Beryl's past. Together, they embark on journeys that test their bond, as well as their sanity when the truth starts to come forward and becomes prevalent between them.

This book surprised me in many unexpectedly pleasant and emotional ways. I am not partial when it comes to sci-fi or dystopian novels, but something about this novel drew me in, and I couldn't resist its temptation. The plot is well thought out and I have never been so satisfied with the pacing of a sci-fi novel, in an extremely long time. I grew so attached to these characters and their individual personalities, and when I finished the book, my emotional investment refused to allow me to acknowledge the fact that it was over. I am in awe that this is a debut novel, and I feel so attached to it, that I can't believe how much I enjoyed myself. The ending left me emotionally distraught, and I would have appreciated a few more pages of closure, thus why I didn't give it a higher rating.

Overall, this book may be long, (700+ pages) but I highly recommend that does not deter any fellow space and science lovers, from picking up a physical copy as soon as it is made available, since I will be doing the same. I applaud the author and his well-written novel, as it has weaved its way into my heart, as one of the best sci-fi novels that I have been able to read and finish. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with such an arc of such a wonderful story.

This book was wonderful! The relationships between the characters were incredibly well written, and the characters by themselves were all amazingly complex and compelling. The plot was fast paced and intriguing, and much of the time I was on the edge of my seat. There were a few parts of the story that had me confused, but overall this was a very enjoyable read.