I really love the Mickey 7 series, but for me, this sequel didn’t quite live up to the debut. Antimatter Blues demanded an inordinate suspension of belief. The sentient aliens on the planet look like insects, and Mickey’s love interest labels the alien leader Wormy…this really seems way out of line and a stupid and deadly stunt to make an alien leader purposely angry. It’s often the small missteps like this that can ruin a book for me. Several of the mission crew also lobbed the insulting nickname at the leader. Where’s the military discipline? I guess we are all supposed to be used to bad Trump - like behavior now from even literary characters, but even in books, there are usually consequences for such thoughtless and dangerous behavior. I doubt our species will survive long enough to explore other planets and alien life. We certainly seem incapable of evolving past toddler behavior. Wouldn’t military space expedition crews be screened for maturity and intelligence? Wouldn’t the crews focus be on leadership, thoughtful problem solving, not knee -jerk reactions and name calling?? -just because this is sci -fi doesn’t mean readers should have to abandon all logic.

Criticism aside, still a four star rating, since I couldn’t put this novel down for long and absorbed it in a single day. The audio edition narrated in large part by John Pirhalla and it was quite a spectacular production. Pirhalla’s impressive range of voices made listening a joy, as each character was imbued with an easily identifiable personality. How I wish all audiobook narrators were as gifted.

I read the first book in this series and found it ok, but maybe not a series I would continue with. When I learned that the first book was being made into a movie, I thought maybe I'd give the series a second chance.

Mickey 7 is our narrator and focal point who has died and been brought back six times previously. On a space colony that didn't turn out exactly like the mission planning had hoped, he's not bringing a lot to the table when he decides he's no longer going to carry out the tasks that might get him killed.

His lie about an antimatter bomb that he left in the hands of the native intelligent life forms comes back to bite him, he's got to figure a way out of his situation. His only friends are Berto, his girlfriend Nasha, and one other member of the team. It's easier to see why Mickey doesn't have friends than it is to see why he does. He is neither likable or sympathetic.

At one point as he's talking to the aliens and explaining what happened, the aliens tell him, that is a stupid, stupid thing to do. I agree. Most of what Mickey does, as well as Nasha and Berto, are stupid, stupid things to do. The aliens are more conventionally humanly intelligent, they conveniently learn to speak English, mainly because it helps the narrative, and are really the most sympathetic characters in the story. The human characters are stupid and unsympathetic. I couldn't finish and I think I'm done with this series.

The narration was good in terms of pace and distinctive character voices and inflections. Unfortunately, the story they had to work with was too stupid to enjoy.

Audiobook received for free through NetGalley

I read the last book so I was able able to jump on in. Loved the characters, the novel story idea, the voices, and how the end is opened ended for future stories. Overall a good read.

I was given access to an advanced copy of the audio-book of this via net gallery in return for a review. I was not asked by anyone to give any time of review other than my own. The views I express here are my own.
Quick review, it was ok, but won’t be buying a physical copy anytime soon. I put it in the same category as Ready Player One. It is a fine book, but it does not teach a valuable lesson, or explore a unique concept like great Sci-Fi will often do. That isn’t a bad thing, but it also makes it where the book may not have the staying power of other series that do.
This is the second book in the series Mickey7. Mickey7 is an expendable, which are humans that have agreed to have their entire consciousness uploaded into new bodies, do dangerous missions, and then reupload their consciousness into computers before being put on ice, until they are needed again.
I think here is the best time to say I did not read the initial Mickey7 book. It does enough of a backstory that I never felt like I was missing an understanding of the story, or the central concepts of the book. The issue I had is I don’t know if the first book endeared you to characters more than the second book did.
There are plenty of plot synopsis out there, so I try not to go into too much depth here. Just know that Mickey7 is not living like an expendable, the lead administrator of the town seems to hate him, and there are aliens that Mickey7 has appeared to broker a truce with in the first book in the series, but that may change in this book.
What I enjoyed:
- The interactions between Mickey and the Aliens.
- The final chapters of the book
- The setting of the planet, and the terraforming type of discussions
- The world exploration
- The introduction of “new” aliens and the difference between them and humans
What was ok:
- The tech surrounding weapons
- The idea of needing a single item to save the planet because of some random thing happening, ok, sure
What was meh or I didn’t like
- The characters, they were fine, but none of them really stuck out and made me feel attachment (maybe that is a me problem)
The book was not bad, I just didn’t enjoy it like I think most people will. Definitely read the first book first. I think that would have helped me a ton in this situation.

I liked this book. I was looking forward to having some free time or driving around to listen to the sequel. the narrator is perfect. I was only a little bit confused with the division of parts and chapters. It was difficult to navigate between them.

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!

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.

Also, the audiobook was excellent! Highly recommend listening to this book if possible.

It is really a testament to Ashton's charm as a writer that we like almost any of these characters, but here I am, again, rooting for them all and having a blast. Set after the conclusion of Mickey7, Antimatter Blues has our characters on a group quest, instead of a solo adventure. The inclusion of the Creepers as active characters and learning about their society is excellent. I still actively want to see how everything shakes out on this colony.

I've been looking forward to this book ever since I read Mickey7 and it did not disappoint. I might even have enjoyed it more than its prequel (which I already loved). For one, the characters are fleshed out more, even Mickey, whose flaws come to the fore and lead to obstacles that need to be overcome. The story does not shy away from calling Mickey's actions stupid. It does so with gusto.

For another, we learn more about the world and its inhabitants and what it needs to keep a colony running. Especially the latter adds a dash of realism, and answers questions I didn't even think to ask. Most of all it pleased me that the human way of conquering new territory and killing or subjugating the natives was questioned here.

Once again, John Pirhalla does an outstanding job of giving Mickey and the others a voice and conveying their humour. I laughed a lot. I also really like the editing choice of them speaking through the comm channels.

I hope this wasn't the last we've heard from our favourite clone!

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for giving me access to a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Mickey7 so I was eager to pick up this follow up novel. Set after the events of the first book, I recommend reading the books in publication order to avoid spoiling yourself. Like the first, this was so fun and engaging. I often struggle with humorous books but this one worked for me. I liked it, but I liked Mickey7 more because it was a fresh concept at the time.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I can categorize every Sci-Fi book I've read into two main categories. Either the story is what I call "hard-hitting" Sci-Fi (think: Hyperion, etc) or "soft" Sci-Fi (think: The Martian). Belonging to either category does not mean a certain story is good or bad, in fact, I tend to prefer "soft" Sci-Fi, with less politics and hard science behind it. This series definitely falls under the latter category. Action packed and full of loveable characters, my partner and I devoured both Mickey 7 and this book, Mickey 7's sequel. Huge props to the audiobook quality, I definitely recommend them.

It was absolutely entertaining! Relatable characters and easy to follow storyline. I like the dynamic between characters and merits they represented. Highly engaging.

THIS WAS BANANAS! And in a good way. This book did not suffer from the second book syndrome as duologies/series usually do. This book had higher stakes, more humor and alien wars. Who knew I could love it so much. The audiobook was great - great narration, tone, etc. So worth the read/listen - will be my favorite entertaining Sci-fi of the year for sure (this is not a space opera!).

Thank you so much to Mamillan Audio and St. Martin's press for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

The books that I cherish the most are those that take me on a heralding adventure, adds a hapless underdog, stirs up some hilarious dialog, and garnishes with some heart and humanity. Mickey7 was one of those books, and with Antimatter Blues, Ashton takes those ingredients to a whole new enjoyable metamorphosis.

This story continues to unravel all of the lies that Mickey had in place in the previous book to prove his role as a critical part of the colony. Through his charming witlessness, we follow him and his crew (Nasha, Berto, and a few others) as they fall into one dire situation after another with Mickey’s lead.

The humor here is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and interspersed with action and dire consequences to keep the pace up. The crew is pushed to their limits and met with unbeatable odds and new allies and foes. The world is strange out there, and they must traverse the treacherous lands to complete their mission.

One of my favorite parts of the writing here (besides the witty banter and everyone’s recall of Mickey’s track record of stupidity) is the method in which we learn that it’s not always the super-qualified or well-trained-mind that will come up with all the solutions. Sometimes it takes an unorthodox approach to achieve the best possible outcome. The character of Mickey isn’t a complete idiot, but when things look bleak, only someone of his history of bad choices and poor swindling that can dig out of the hole. His unwavering optimism embraces the ‘ignorance is bliss’ attitude and it fills the book with a little more light than would be otherwise.

Finally, the cherry on top was the finale of this story. No spoilers but I hope you enjoy it too.

Ashton has pulled off a 1-2 knockout so far. Antimatter Blues is a hilarious, spirited, and a purely enjoyable SciFi read! It’s a great heralding underdog adventure story with a unique cast of characters. If you enjoyed Mickey7 in the slightest, you’ll love this follow up.

I recently had the opportunity of listening to Edward Ashton's Antimatter Blues, and I have to admit that I am very impressed! This exhilarating sequel to Mickey7 does not let down. The story of Antimatter Blues takes place in the Niflheim colony and centers on Mickey Barnes as he learns that the colony's creeper neighbors are in possession of an antimatter weapon. Mickey must decide whether to get the bomb or risk destroying the entire colony because the antimatter that powers the colony is running low.


I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time as a result of the story's intense suspense and thrilling action. The characters are diverse and well-developed, and I found myself cheering for them throughout the story. I was engrossed in the story and felt involved in Ashton's ability to create a vibrant and realistic environment.

Overall, if you're searching for a thrilling and intriguing book to read, I definitely suggest Antimatter Blues. I rate it five stars out of five.

In exchange for a frank review, I would like to thank Netgalley, Edward Ashton, and Macmillan Audio for the audio eARC.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed Mickey 7, and its sequel is no different. While I do like the first one better, this one had a solid story and character development. I was a bit shocked by the ending and found it to be abrupt, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. The narrators were awesome; the different tones and voices when speaking through comms was very cool! This aspect definitely made this book more attention-grabbing for me! I am curious whether or not this will remain a duology or if there will be a third one in the future; I guess I will just have to wait and see!

An excellent sequel to the first book. I really enjoyed the continuing story of Mickey-7. The character development was much more flushed out. The danger also felt like it was much more real.

It's summer time in Niflheim and we find Mickey retired from being an expendable and living a fairly boring existence as a rabbit tender. But all is not well, the antimatter bomb Mickey lied about the Creepers having is needed back or the whole colony will be doomed to fail. There's only one problem, the bomb isn't where is supposed to be. And so ensues a rag tag adventure to retrieve the bomb and save the day. I loved the action driven plot in novel and the new character Speaker made me laugh. I can't wait to see these books on the big screen!

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

These stories are so fun. I guess you could read this is as a stand alone, but really, you'll enjoy this more if you have the backstory on the characters and world. The Author does a great job of world building in both of these books. There is a good mix of history (real and imagined), philosophy and action. There's just enough intrigue and romance to make the characters seem realistic and human-ish.
This book has a bit more planning and strategy than Mickey 7 and overall feels a bit more polished. I listed to the audiobook and really enjoyed the different voices and inflection of the readers.

Antimatter Blues started slow for me, but picked up considerably in the second half. I was unaware until the end that it was the second book in a series, so I can confidently say it can be read as a standalone if desired. While I found the overall plot to be lacking in thrills, the interpersonal relationships between Mickey and his friends to be extremely endearing. Would recommend for someone looking for a lighthearted sci-fi book with quirky characters.

Thank you Edward Ashton, Net Galley, and Macmillan Audio for my audio advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.

Antimatter Blues is out on March 13th, 2023

Plot - 3.5
Writing and Editing - 4
Character Development - 3
Narration - 5
Personal Bias - 3.5
Final Score - 3.8