This very much felt like Knives Out in space, which was the biggest reason that I was attracted to it. Manibo has created a sprawling futuristic world that feels like it could be its own series, exploring everything that could easily be happening in all of its nooks and crannies. But it also feels somewhat comfortable and familiar in that humans and human-like characters have flaws that don't seem to change. There's a curious murder mystery, plenty of rich people behaving badly and outrageously, multiple points of view that don't feel like too many and are equally empathetic if not resonating, and incisive prose that makes you want to keep turning the page. Anyone who is looking for a nice genre-blending sci-fi novel will enjoy this one!

Escape Velocity: A High-Stakes Reunion in Space
Victor Manibo's Escape Velocity is a thrilling space-opera that seamlessly blends mystery, intrigue, and social commentary. Set aboard the luxurious Altaire space station, the novel follows a group of privileged alumni as they reunite for their 25th anniversary. But this isn't your typical reunion; beneath the veneer of opulence and camaraderie, dark secrets and dangerous ambitions simmer.

Manibo's world-building is impressive, creating a believable and immersive future where wealth disparity is starkly evident. The Altaire serves as a microcosm of this divide, with the ultra-wealthy passengers enjoying unparalleled luxury while the ship's crew toils in relative obscurity. This social commentary adds depth to the narrative, making it more than just a thrilling space adventure.

The plot is intricate and keeps readers guessing until the very end. Multiple perspectives offer a rich tapestry of characters, each with their own motivations and secrets. The pace is relentless, with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. While some might argue that the character development could be deeper, the focus on the fast-paced plot and intricate mysteries is ultimately satisfying.

Overall, Escape Velocity is a captivating read that blends elements of classic thrillers with a futuristic setting. Manibo's skillful storytelling and well-developed world create a compelling narrative that will appeal to fans of science fiction and mystery alike.

I was unable to download this file on my laptop or on my netgalley shelf app. Therefore I cannot give an honest review of this text.

Woooooo this book is a good “stick it to the man” story. I loved the space whodunnit mixed with anarchy and justice. It kind of reminded me of Stuart Turton when it came to the story building and pacing. I can say it did take a while to get to the point but it was all character development and world building. Once it took off, the story is GOOD! I highly recommend it.

Escape Velocity by Victor Manibo transports readers to 2089, where the elite gather for a high school reunion at the luxurious Altaire space hotel. This novel intertwines a murder mystery with sharp social commentary, highlighting the stark divide between the wealthy and those who serve them.

The story kicks off with Henry Gallagher, a powerful CEO, stranded in space with dwindling oxygen. As he drifts, we learn the reunion’s purpose: securing coveted spots on Mars amidst a world ravaged by climate change and political corruption.

Central to the plot is the unsolved murder of Ashwin Khan, who was killed 25 years earlier after a violent altercation with Henry, Tom Lazaro III, and Charles Sloane IV. Ava Khan, Ashwin’s sister, seeks justice, convinced that the wrong person was blamed for her brother’s death. As tensions rise, the Altaire’s staff, oppressed by the systems created by their wealthy guests, inch towards rebellion.

The novel’s strength lies in its depiction of the space hotel’s staff, who subtly plan a mutiny against the guests’ excesses and injustices. The rich characters, though detailed, often appear unsympathetic, highlighting the stark contrast between their lives and the crew’s struggles.

Manibo uses the futuristic setting to critique modern murder mysteries that typically focus on the affluent. Escape Velocity stands out by shifting the genre’s focus, making the rich characters the subjects of disdain rather than admiration.

Despite its ambitious narrative, the book can feel heavy-handed in its social critique. Nonetheless, it offers a fresh take on the murder mystery genre, making it a thought-provoking read for those interested in politically charged narratives set in a sci-fi backdrop.

In conclusion, Escape Velocity is a compelling blend of murder mystery and social critique, set against a futuristic space hotel. It challenges the traditional genre by focusing on the inequities between the rich and the oppressed, making it a unique and engaging read.

Thank you to the publishers and netglaley for the advanced copy. I ended up listening to the finished audiobook from my library. I also, sadly, dnf’d this book. It just personally wasn’t my reading taste and I couldn’t push through.

When I first read this it was a three star read but as I have had time to let it sit. The star rating has gone down to two stars. It wasnt very memorable and it was an okayish read. I now don't think that there is anything special about it.

This was an alright book, though I think that the author had a lot of storylines going on and some of the story was lost with so much going on. Earth has become nearly uninhabitable, climate change has made life difficult, so it you are very wealthy you could be one of the few that can move to Mars which had been made habitable. In the mean time the wealthy can spend time on Space Habitat Altaire which is a luxury space resort, everything and anything your heart could desire is available for those that can afford the cost of getting there. And the class of Rochford Institute is holding their reunion there, all of the graduates have gone on to become titans in industry and finance. The staff of the station are mostly all Pilipino, something that is mentioned many times, each person is assigned an personal valet to follow them around and attend all their needs. Back when the class has graduated, one of their classmates was first missing, then found deceased, it was never discovered who had killed him or if he had gone out into the arid land and died on his own. His sister Ava had originally been charged with his murder before a close friend of hers was charged, she never made it to trial, having been killed in jail. Ava's brother was not a nice guy, he abused Ava, but she still loved him as a brother and still mourns his loss. Being amoung all the same people is bringing back memories, not pleasant, of that time in her life. That story line is a main thread, several others lead off from it, a friend of Ava's was supposed to arrange for legal assistance for the girl that had been charged, he admits he hadn't pursued it as much as he should have, she gets very angry. There is also a lot of graphic sex and drug use. The crew/staff of the station have also got a story line, but it doesn't really develop until near the end. Like I said an alright book. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Erewhon Books for the ARC.

- ESCAPE VELOCITY is two or three books mashed together. There’s a rich people behaving badly plot, a past murder everyone is still trying to reckon with, and a brewing working class uprising underneath it all.
- I quite enjoyed the tone of the book. It was breezy and shiny while also being sharp and take-no-prisoners.
- All combined, it feels like a potentially pretty accurate vision of the future, if our current model of billionaires leading the space charge holds.
- A lot happens in the final chapters, everything falling together quickly after we learn all about the many players. I wanted to see more of the fallout from one of the revelations, but overall I really loved the risk Manibo took with the ending!

Reading this is like reading In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead but add a sub/dom relationship that appears completely out of left field, a couple space walks, and obscene amounts of MONEY. We follow a group of friends at a high school reunion (in space!) where it is *shockingly* revealed that one of the friend's brothers was murdered back in high school. What follows is very heavy handed foreshadowing, characters with flimsy motivations and unstable characterizations, an uninteresting setting, and a poorly done critique of capitalism.

The reason I picked this up is because it was supposed to be a bunch of rich fucks being dramatic on a luxury liner in space. How fun! But for a book set on a luxury liner in space, it decidedly did not feel like we were in a luxury liner in space. There was so little atmosphere, so little purpose, the only thing holding us in this place were a few mentions of the views and the aforementioned space walks.

The main science fiction element of this story is this system of MERIT points that allows certain people to go to a new colony on Mars. Now, this is supposed to show how corrupt society is because only rich people with "good" jobs get enough points to settle Mars. And even the super rich people still have to vie for their places on Mars with political scheming, social maneuvering, and . . . BDSM. Okay yeah, that's, like, a really bad system.

But the way the MERIT points are described and implemented in the novel makes it not only a bad system but also simply not make sense. First of all, we don't understand why the characters want to go to Mars. Sure, Earth is burning up, but surely Mars isn't the only place to run to? Why does literally every single person on this ship want to go to Mars? What about places on Earth that are still habitable? What about underground bunkers? What about, perhaps, a luxury liner in space? No? Oh, okay, a completely underdeveloped colony on Mars where there are no poor people for you to exploit. Yep, that's definitely what every rich person dreams of.

Something else that bothered me more than it probably should have was the use of multimedia elements (only two of them throughout the whole book) to show how this system works. No only do we get to hear the characters talking (and thinking) at length about how the system works, but we also get a bunch of pages of faux-legalese and tables (so fun!) explaining all the things we already knew about the system (very necessary!), just in more detail than we need to understand the concept and in a super boring format. So fun! Very necessary!

You're probably wondering what this sub/dom and BDSM is all about. I am as well. Surely it's not for representation because the relationship was completely nonconsensual. Surely it's not for character development because non-consent should never be used as a tool for character development. Who knows.

Finally, let me go on a lengthy monologue about the end of this book. No wait, TWO lengthy monologues! Actually, I will spare you and not do that. But you know who didn't spare us from TWO lengthy monologues that explain all of the reasons why all of the things happened and tell us all the information we were waiting for the entire book at the very last second through this over used and objectively bad method? I'll let you take a guess.

In the near future, the people of Earth compete against each other in a rigged system to be in with a chance of leaving the dying planet and starting a new life on Mars.

Escape Velocity is at its most fun as a murder mystery set amongst the uber rich. Flashing between the past and the present, there are plenty of twisty mysteries to unravel. However, it's second key element, that attempts to speak to some sort of class consciousness falls much more flat in my opinion. It just doesn't feel like it says anything truly revolutionary or interesting enough to be worthwhile. None of it is particularly shocking or surprising, and if anything, it detracts from the fun of seeing rich people be awful people and prevents some of the plotlines there from being resolved satisfactorily. Overall, a light, fun read, but nothing special.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the eARC of this futuristic title!!**

When reading the synopsis for this one, I had incredibly high hopes. I did end up really enjoying Escape Velocity, but it took a bit of work to get through, especially at the beginning.

It almost feels as though this book would have worked better as separate long-form stories collected into a novel, as there was way too much going on at times.

I thought the writing was extremely well done, I just found myself having to double back at points to catch myself up on the current plot. I am always down for new sci-fi authors to obsess over, so I will definitely be checking out more from Manibo in the future.

I thought this book dragged at times and that the murder mystery was awkwardly placed at times, but the final act and the ending were super satisfying and totally made up for it. also, idk if this was just me but the large cast of characters weren't all that different from one another in terms of personality, and the dialogue between them tended to meld together at times.

I have mixed feelings about the book. I was intrigued in the story in the first few chapters, and as a sci-fi fan found the premise of the book captivating. However, to me, this is somewhat more on the lines of a sub-genre of sci-fi where there are more "romantasy" elements, such as what Fourth Wing was to the fantasy genre. I wasn't a big fan of that series, but I know that so many people love it. And for that reason, I do think there's an audience for this book that will enjoy all the many elements and fresh direction that this book is going in. It wasn't for me, but I do think that many will enjoy it.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of Escape Velocity!

This is a book that held great promise and truly excited me when I first read the summary. It is an intriguing concept of a maybe not so far off reality were the rich vacation in space and are actively trying to compete and go to Mars. Overall I did like the book and once it picked up speed in later chapters the book was a much more enjoyable.

The parts of the book that held it back from achieving the greatness that I thought it would achieve, were few things.
My first and biggest gripe with the novel was that there was too many character POV's. I understand the desire to see all angles and to get multiple character experiences and perspectives on an event, but this got confusing quickly. The next problem I had with the novels was that it felt almost like two novels mushed together into one. The first novel was clearly a murder mystery who done it. The second novel was a dystopian commentary on social inequality, the rich getting richer, our climate, and racism. Both books could be great on there own but not together.

I felt like the book lost site of what it wanted to be, which made the ending feel unexpected, truly it was a plot twist that I did not expect until I was almost done with a book. I'm not angry at the ending, I still enjoyed my overall reading experience with the novel, but it definitely is not a novel for everyone.

If I could summarize the book in one sentence it would be eat the rich.

Objectively, Escape Velocity is a totally competent and well crafted mystery in a thoughtfully rendered sci-fi future setting. It just did not enthrall me, and often dragged something fierce. It was around chapter 4, when Manibo spends pages describing a grain of rices journey from the dirt all the way into space, that my patience with his style began to wane. Not a great sign when you’re roughly 1/8 through a novel. Certainly not a bad book, just not one I’d ever read again.

A fun space romp ,with engaging characters and plot. The book is well written and will be of interest to folks that like hard sci fi.

Thank You NetGalley, Erewhon Books, and Victor Manibo for the electronic copy. I tandem read with the Audio from Libby. I enjoyed both. This was literally a mystery-thriller. A class reunion on the luxury space Altaire ship equals drama, secrets, and answers. We follow several characters and learn their real natures, feeling like a reality episode. The mystery solved just when the thriller was taking control.

1 star. I really didn’t like this. However, I partly blame the marketing for that! I expected to read an entirely different book!

I thought I was getting "Knives Out in space." A fun thriller or mystery about rich people behaving badly, with secrets going back to their boarding school days. Just instead of an island, manor house or academic setting, it would be set on a space station! And while you can find elements of those things in the story, that is not this book! It’s not fun, it’s not juicy, it’s not a mystery or thriller.

The book is simply using hints of those genres and tropes to get the thematic content across, but it's doing it in a very clumsy and annoyingly heavy-handed way! It’s also incredibly repetitive. The same points get made over and over again while introducing barely any plot or characterisation! The writing style was also not to my liking and I found the dialogue especially awkward. On top of all of that, it was just very boring and made very little sense!

I didn’t think this was well-written or well-executed for my tastes, but what really bothers me is that it seems to me as if the author wanted to write a book about social and political struggles, but sadly, that book was marketed as a murder mystery in space, which it most certainly is not!

I’m never drawn to books that put the focus on social commentary. I much prefer a more subtle approach of lightly incorporating themes into genre fiction and letting the reader’s experience with a book determine their interpretation and impact. But I know there are a lot of people who appreciate reading on-page discussions of important topics and it's unfortunate and sad that the marketing strategy for Escape Velocity may be putting this book into the wrong hands.

This book started well and the mystery was very interesting.
<spoiler>I had mixed feelings from the middle to the rushed and shocking end of the book though. I understand that the book's ending was perhaps somehow logical if these people had as a goal to kill the richest 1% of the population, but to destroy all facilities in space seemed somehow short sighted and a huge throwaway of resources.</spoiler>