Michael Flynn (https://tofspot.blogspot.com) is the author of 6 novels. In the Belly of the Whale was published this past July. It is the 64th book I completed reading in 2024.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

The Whale is a generational starship headed to Tau Citi. It is an enormous vessel constructed within a hollowed-out asteroid, carrying more than 40,000 passengers and crew. Their journey was to last hundreds of years. A society was created for the Whale before launch to ensure its safe arrival. The years spent thus far on their journey have eroded and changed that society.

Officers for the ship have become hereditary positions, and these gold-capes are treated and act more like royalty. The reproductive restrictions placed upon the populace by the Eugenics department further stirs anger. The stratification of the classes has fomented discontent over the years, and it is near exploding into open rebellion.

Bùxiè deSōuxún is a Detective Chief Inspector. He begins investigating the blunt-force trauma death of a young man. The corpse cannot be readily identified as his biometrics are not in the system, and he has no locator. He has lived completely outside the tight society of the Whale. Winsome Alabaster is an eugenicist. Her ‘special man’ went to work one day years before and never returned. Dhikpārusya Spandhana is a huge man. His size guided him to become an Enforcer of Filial Devotion. Staff Sergeant Ynigo ‘Lucky’ Lutz is one of the Marines on board the Whale. These are just a few of the characters in the story.

The Burnout is a section of the Whale where gravity plates and power had failed more than 80 years ago. Officially, no one lives there, but a few on the fringe of society have moved there for the freedom they can enjoy. It is from the Burnout that the dead man is thought to have come from. When a body is found in the Burnout and identified as Jaunty Alabaster, a troop is assembled to enter the Burnout and retrieve it. The characters mentioned above are among the 12 in the recovery party.

The recovery mission turns out to be a trip into hell. The Burnout is far from empty, and not all inhabitants are from the fringe. Those in the party who survive are bound together through their experiences.

Not long after the recovery party returns, open rebellion breaks out. Who will survive the open combat within the Whale? Will there be enough experienced people left to crew the Whale when all is said and done?

I enjoyed the 13.5 hours I spent reading this 472-page science fiction novel. The idioms and language used by some crew and passengers on the Whale were sometimes difficult to understand. While this is science fiction, the story is more about how people can change and the endurance of emotional distress. And how disastrous circumstances can bind unlikely people together. The cover art is very sci-fi, but I’m not sure if it has any relationship to the shape of the Whale. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

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In the Belly of the Whale by Michael Flynn is an epic science fiction journey that follows inhabitants aboard a colossal generation ship. This is a highly recommended final novel from Heinlein Medalist Flynn (1947–2023).

The Whale is a generation ship built within a hollowed-out asteroid that is set on a centuries-long journey to colonize the planet Tau Ceti and ensure the survival of the human race. Along with the hard science fiction elements involved with life aboard the unique space ship, Flynn closely follows the sociological changes that take place among the crew after generations spent on the ship.

After the Big Burnout, where a tenth of the ship has been basically abandoned, the original rules set in place for the efficient running of the ship and fair division of labor have now devolved into a stratification of the society with the privileged classes seeking power over everyone. The differences in ideology, class, and cultural identity stirs up rebellion among the beleaguered crew, igniting the first whispers of revolution.

Admittedly, the list of personal at the start of the narrative was my friend as I tried to keep numerous names of characters and their stories straight. The main characters followed represent a selection of the diverse people across the society and include an detective, young lovers, politicians, and a non-commissioned officer, NCO. Once you can keep the unique names straight and come to know the characters, it makes following the plot a bit easier because you are no longer trying to keep characters straight.

There is no doubt that this is a dense novel, in scientific principles, language usage, the vision of the city in the ship, and the insightful examination of societal changes. It is a pleasure to read Michael Flynn's final novel as he is an intelligent writer who has always delivered a great story. Thanks to CAEZIK SF & Fantasy for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

In the Belly of the Whale is a story about the inhabitants of a generation ship during a middle period of the ship's 800 year-long journey - being centuries removed from those that begun the journey, as well as those that will live during its end. The story captures a period in which the noble aims of the ship have become less important to the leaders of its crew. The Whale has devolved from the aristocratic society of its departure with an effective, fair division of maintaining the ship's various systems, to an oligarchic society squabbling for power over another and oppressing its larger crew, that has finally had enough.

Following characters from numerous social-classes and roles within the ship, the book was an interesting story of how life on such a ship might exist - being large enough for complex social structures and dynamics, but small enough to where the fragile amount of resources and space remain important. I thought that the many characters and plot lines introduced were all aptly developed, and engaging to read. In particular, I thought that the focus on the 'Burnout' - an abandoned, semi-destroyed area of the ship due to a catastrophe 80 years ago - was a very interesting setting within the larger one of the ship itself, as well as for the people that continue to inhabit it.

As for improvements to the book, I thought that the 'mini chapters' or switches in perspective within the larger chapters were not very smooth to read, being somewhat confusing and not always well-placed. To add upon this, some of the plot events felt drawn out, and perhaps a bit stiffly written, leaving me wishing for more concise chapters at times.

Overall, I felt that the core of the story was always about how the faults of human nature can corrupt society at the detriment to our delicate, shared environment. When the book had this in view, it was very engaging to read, yet sometimes I felt like it got too caught up in its own events. Still, I would recommend giving the book a read.

The formality of the language the author used makes this story stiff and hard to enjoy. It would have been better if the author had relaxed both the description and the narrative.

In the Belly of the Whale is a gripping epic that takes readers on a profound voyage through time and space aboard an enormous generation ship. The narrative captures the poignant transformation of Earth's finest minds into a stifling regime, their rigid rules sparking an uprising among the hard-pressed crew. This provocative tale delves into the price of freedom, the metamorphosis of societies, and the repeating patterns of tyranny and liberation. Against this, Earth itself is undergoing a significant period of change, offering a layered, thought-provoking backdrop to the story. In the Belly of the Whale is a compelling exploration of humanity's enduring pursuit of freedom, pushing the boundaries of the genre to offer a deeply insightful study of societal evolution and individual resilience. This is more than a space odyssey; it's an invitation to delve into the heart of the human spirit and societal dynamics.

A fun and interesting science fiction epic for fans of the "science is real" type of fiction. If you enjoyed The Expanse for the reliasm, I think this one will be right up your alley!