DNF - 20%
2.5-3 stars

This book just wasn’t working for me. I found it to be slow and I was bored. I didn’t connect with the characters or the story. I found the characters to all be annoying. I read some of the other reviews (both positive and negative) and none of them made me want to continue reading the book.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve had the pleasure of being an early reader for all of the books in this series and I look forward to any other books that come out in this universe! I hope they continue to turn the books into movies! This is completely different than Mickey but equally entertaining and intriguing! I would definitely recommend if you’re into science fiction set in space/ other universes!

#TheFourthConsort: 4️⃣🚀🧑‍🚀⁣
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Thank you @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for my gifted copies! ⁣
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“If you had a brain to match your bulk, you might be dangerous.”⁣
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I’ll be honest, I was iffy starting out. Do I really want to sci-fi this day? The answer is a resounding yes. Even my non-sci-fi friends, this is the one. This is it. ✨slams finger into book for emphasis.✨⁣
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I went in blind because that’s my thing. But I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was such an interesting premise and I really liked the translator aspect of the story. ⁣
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Audio was phenomenal. I had a lot of books to read, but I just kept grabbing the audio because it was so intriguing. Barrie Kreinik had the perfect voice for this. ⁣
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This just released February 25th and honestly, it’s one of my favorites so far because dang this story was so unique and good.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Dalton was reaching an all time low in life on earth. He didn’t have much going for him when he was approached with a job proposal he couldn’t refuse, figuratively. He was hired as the first humankind representative of Unity; a group working towards coexisting with all sentient life. But after an altercation between Unity and the already present Assembly, who was already attempting to accomplish the same task, Dalton ends up marooned on an alien planet. He now has another proposal he is given where he can’t refuse, literally.

There was a lot of this book that was fun and enjoyable. I enjoyed the world building and the cast of characters. Bob and Randall were definitely my favorite with their banter and overall commentary in Dalton’s situation. Unfortunately this storyline was a bit forgettable. It was a good time but not a long time. I understand where Ashton was trying to go in a lot of the story and it was fun but overall it landed a bit flat for me. Maybe I would enjoy it more on a reread but as of right now, I think a 3/5 is where I am landing.

Before diving in I wasn't sure if the tone of The Fourth Consort would work for me in an SFF story, but the synopsis drew me in; I love reading narratives with different cultures and beings coming into contact and trying to mingle and understand the other.

I'm happy to say that the cheeky humour really did work for me, as it was well balanced with the character development and world building. You are immediately dropped into the world, which for some might be a bit jarring, but I like being fed breadcrumbs slowly, looking back at how a character got to where we first meet them.

It did take me a long time to adjust to the third person present tense of the main narrative, however it made sense as it was a clear distinction between the flashbacks and present story line. This is definitely just a me problem though as most of the stories I read are third person past tense.

If you enjoy sci-fi that doesn't take itself too seriously, but is well written and plotted, I would highly recommend The Fourth Consort.

A light, sci-fi adventure on an alien world for a human rep who finds out the task he was assigned might have been misrepresented putting him and all humanity in danger. The Fourth Consort, my first Edward Ashton book, drew my attention because I was told his writing style and plots are similar to another sci-fi author I already enjoy. One glance at the blurb and the cover had me ready to take off on this fun adventure to the stars.

The Fourth Consort is told with a linear timeline that gets interrupted by flashbacks explaining how things came to be the way they currently are. Dalton is a decorated military vet who is good at diplomatic work and now finds himself involved in a First Contact situation that is fraught with intrigue and danger. There are two alien coalitions and humans are on shaky ground with both now a small group is stuck on an alien planet. He’s working with a Unity snail alien who has a human assistant and the Assembly’s shock troop Stickman, and now is meeting another insectoid alien race where he gets claimed as consort which ups the ante for him in his capacity as First Contact in a diplomatic career work. Dalton needs to get the contact right learning cultural and social protocol on the fly for this new race with an AI that translation work is individual and the AI has a snarky sense of humor.
There is a romance, but it feels more space opera than sci-fi romance in that the romance is there, but not given much focus like the work and interactions Dalton has with the various aliens involved. I liked Dalton and the interactions with the main group of alien characters and his AI, but this felt easy-going and entertaining more than a dramatic and serious sci-fi. Since I was expecting a lot of humor, I was ready for this tone and was in the mood for it.

All in all, this was a fun first outing with the author’s books and I recommend it to those who want something light on scientific details, but includes lots of page time meeting and engaging with truly alien aliens and a spot of alien romance for the big hero, and some wit and bantering humor mostly from the AI. I look forward to trying the author’s backlist and recommend this to Space Opera and light sci-fi fans.

I had a particularly difficult time reading this book. From the jump, you’re dropped into the middle of a story without any background. The first few chapters I felt lost in trying to figure out how characters related to one another, and all the jargon. I found the present tense storytelling incredibly distracting and hard to read in general. At the halfway mark, the story absolutely came to a standstill and was a slog to read through. Overall, this wasn’t for me. If you enjoy a slower paced fantasy/science fiction novel, you may enjoy this. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

The Fourth Consort is the fourth book by Edward Ashton I’ve read. I loved Mal Goes to War and also enjoyed Mickey 7 and its sequel. While The Fourth Consort did not topple Mal as my favorite Ashton book, it nevertheless did not disappoint. A first contact story where humans are the contacting aliens, The Fourth Consort explores topics ranging from colonization to politics to honor to friendship. It was a fascinating read, even if its ambition didn’t always pay off. I found I really liked the protagonist, Dalton, and came to root for him as the plot progressed. Overall this is a fun read for fans of books like Old Man’s War, Ashton’s other works, etc.

I’ve read all of Ed Ashton’s novels, and that’s saying something because I usually pick and choose within an author’s oeuvre. This time, Ashton gives us another fun space romp. This standalone SciFi was light and entertaining with an enemies to friends trope.

The Fourth Consort provides ample entertainment, a few life lessons and some cool aliens. Dalton Greaves, an Earthling who’s great at being a soldier but sucks at everything else in life, is on a mission for Unity, making first contact with promising alien species and bringing them into their benevolent fold. Dalton finds himself stranded on a first contact planet with an exopod species whose political strife may mean his death as a pawn in a battle he doesn’t understand. Fellow strandee Breaker is a stickman of a race he’s been taught to fear.

I liked this novel for its genial MC Dalton and its gentle messages about not trusting everything you’ve been told about your enemy. I loved the friendship that develops in this book, something I’d like to see more of in novels. Dalton is a good character to show these themes, because he’s not super bright at times, but he has a good heart and seems to come out on top despite himself. That said, I got a bit frustrated with him at times, because he was a bit too easy going for his dire situation.

I had to laugh because although the space-going races try not to introduce new weapons technology to the first contact species, there’s clearly no attention paid to the Prime Directive...oh whoops, that’s Star Trek, not The Fourth Consort 😆

I recommend this as a standalone, sweet, entertaining and not too complex SciFi. Great escapism!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a gifted copy.

A first-contact sci-fi with dark comedy vibes that will have you fully vetting your next job offer.

This was a weird, but fun sci-fi with great pacing. The premise is that two competing entities land on a planet to try to convince the sentient species that lives there to join their intergalactic organization. Our main character and his colleague become stranded on this planet when his ship attacks the other ship who has sent down their own diplomat. These three 'aliens' are now stranded on an unknown planet with nothing by their drop ships and a sassy, sentient translator.

This reminded me of the worldbuilding from Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time, and the creativity of Mercy of Gods by James SA Corey.

I LOVE the unexpected humour of Mickey7 and Mal Goes to War. They were two of my favourite books of the year when they were released. I was hoping for that whip-smart banter and fun character development here, but it fell short. However Edward Ashton remains a must-read author for me.

Pick this up if you love
🚀 First contact sci-fi
🚀 Predator vs hunter conflicts
🚀 Gladiator-style fights to the death
🚀 A weirdly upsetting love triangle
🚀 Aliens that look like giant bugs
🚀 A sassy, sentient galactic translator, who will melt your brain

This book is best read while watching the first of two suns setting, hoping you'll survive tomorrow's battle.

I’m a big fan of Edward Ashton’s Mickey 7 series so when I saw he had a new book available on NetGalley I didn’t even bother to read the description I just immediately requested it. And I was not disappointed. Ashton delivers yet another humorous sci-fi adventure. Ashton kind of reminds me of some of John Scalzi, in that he takes serious topics, tosses in a healthy dose of the absurd, and yet still makes the stories gripping, emotional, and thought provoking, or much like one of high school history teaches who managed to make history so entertaining that you didn’t realize you’re actually having your beliefs challenged or actually learning. Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me access to an ARC of The Fourth Consort.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fourth-consort-edward-ashton/1145317376?ean=9781250286338&bvnotificationId=c86613f8-f3ce-11ef-ac71-0e7294ef0e6b&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/338917985

The Fourth Consort is such a fun space romp, one in which humans are the aliens, and the culture shock is real. Dalton has found himself on a sort of Alien Welcome Wagon mission to reach out to new worlds, see what's happening, etc. He knows very little about what he's to be doing, but when he and his coworker find themselves on a planet that isn't exactly keen to chat with humans or their allies, he finds himself doing whatever he can to keep himself alive long enough for a rescue.

As it turns out, this is a matriarchal society, and males (of any species) are felt to be fairly useless, more akin to pets than fellow sentients. Dalton winds up being the ultimate "pet"- the fourth consort to the leader, and if he can stay alive long enough, perhaps he can keep all parties involved from killing each other- and him. It is funny, from start to finish, even when the stakes are high and lives are in jeopardy. That levity makes the book very readable, and keeps Dalton's journey extra entertaining. It says this is a standalone, but I rather hope it is not- there is a conclusion, but there is also lots of room for more, and I hope that the door is open for a sequel someday!

Bottom Line: Even though the stakes are high, the lightheartedness and comedic elements make it both fun and exciting.

When Dalton Greaves is recruited for a job under an alien organization he isn’t clear on what it’s about, but there’s the promise of a very rich retirement – if he makes it that long. Eventually things get more interesting that he might have wished. He and an adversary are temporarily stranded while each tries to make an alliance with the native population. A better understanding of the native culture would make Dalton’s life less dicey. He becomes more and more entangled in the politics of the natives. Even with some support and advice from Breaker, his diplomatic opponent, Dalton faces very tough moral choices, not to mention more than a little danger. None of this is as heavy as it sounds. The confusion of navigating two different alien cultures is quite entertaining. There is enough mystery and tension to propel the story to its end.

This was a fast paced read that I absolutely flew through. I wish that the story was a little more plot-driven and a little less character-driven, but I didn't really mind it because it was still a fast-paced story that I enjoyed. This book was strange and quirky, but in a pleasing way, and I always vibe with a weird sci-fi story. The beginning was a little hard to parse through, because there was a lot thrown at you pretty fast, but after a bit I did get sucked into the story. This was a great sci-fi story and I think that people who like his previous book, or Mur Lafferty, will get a kick out of this!

Quick read, I finished it in a single sitting. It’s very character driven so if you like the main character you’ll like the story. Dalton was a soldier and at loose ends after his father died, he takes a contract for ten years in space serving the aliens who contacted us. If he survives he’ll be as rich as a king. The odds of surviving are not high…

I was provided both and ARC and an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

Dalton was a down on his luck guy with nothing to look forward to, when he gets recruited to be part of a confederation to spread love and harmony throughout the galaxy. Dalton's crew is Unity, but they have a nemesis group called The Assembly and they really don't get along. Both groups seek out new civilizations and want to broker alliances and they will do whatever it takes to make sure their side wins a new friend.

Dalton finds himself stranded on a new planet and guest of the planet's queen. He and Breaker, a member of the Assembly are both vying for her attention and still attempting to form and alliance, but Dalton has a hard time understanding the culture and strange sense of honor that the their mostly female civilization operates under. At the same time he questions the motivations of his own crew and mission. His survival on the planet hinges on the queen making him her consort, which Dalton doesn't understand, as there is no romance between them. As things become more clear he comes to understand how politics work on the planet and that he may just be a bargaining chip.

I really loved getting to know Dalton as he had to navigate this precarious environment. He can't leave the planet, and he is forced to be the consort of an alien queen for political reasons. He is always offending those around him, mainly because he doesn't understand their culture, which leads to some pretty humorous moments throughout the book. I loved the snark from the AI translator that helps Dalton navigator the various languages. At times this felt like cozy sci-fi as Dalton deals with more social situations and what he feels is moral and honorable and there isn't alot of graphic content when it comes to violence and other content.

I loved this. It was fun, had the right amount of humor, and falls in the more cozy genre that is so popular right now. This has more political intrigue and self reflection themes to it, so if you are expecting epic world building and super technical sci-fi this is not that book. Dalton spends much of his time underground so there isn't a ton of world building or description of the world. The plot is more focused on will Dalton follow the orders of his exploration company, or will he follow his own moral compass. I thought Dalton's relationship with Breaker was great and while this is a standalone I would love to know how they get on in the future.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for sending me an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

This book was so delightfully weird. It was strange in so many ways, and yet the heart of humanity still shone through. It was bizarre, and in that hilarity and weirdness was a depth and soul that sparkled.

The book was slightly hard to get into at first because it felt like there was so much world (universe) building that had happened either so quickly or outside of the reader's perspective. At some point, I'm not sure if I actually understood it or I just moved past trying.

This was a really great, fast read that was both hilarious and yet made you think.

Dalton Greaves, a human representative to Unity, discovers it's more about plunder than peace. After a clash with the Assembly, a true benevolent group, he's stranded on a hostile planet. He must navigate danger and intrigue to survive, while ensuring his ally Neera doesn't turn against him.

I started this book without knowing much about it, but it turned out to be quite an enjoyable read. It had some genuinely funny moments and just the right touch of quirkiness. While I wished for a bit more world-building, the rich character development more than made up for it.

Exploring the various alien cultures, the political drama, and the emphasis on honor among the aliens was fascinating. Breaker was such an entertaining character, always keeping me guessing about his next move. I also loved the dynamic between him and Dalton. Overall, I highly recommend this book!

Rating: 4/5
Spice: 0/5

Tropes:
First Contact
Predator/Hunter Conflicts
Interspecies Relations
Bizarre Love Triangle

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Edward Ashton for a chance to read this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Another 3.5 from the author for me.

While I’m still waiting for Mickey 17 movie to release, I was pretty interested to read this new standalone from the author, especially because it seemed like a fun adventure with first contact. And I guess I got what I expected.

Dalton is a first contact specialist/diplomat working for a pan-species group Unity who gets stranded on an alien planet, with a counterpart of his from another group, the Assembly. The book follows the dynamics between Dalton, the Assembly stickman Breaker, and the Queen (or First-Among-Equals) of the alien species - the cultural differences/misunderstandings between the three groups, their mistaken assumptions of each other, the unlikely bonds that form amid assassination attempts, all while getting some much needed snark from the translator AI.

The writing is fun and fast paced, with some giggle inducing dialogue here and there. But for whatever reason, I didn’t find this one as funny as Mal Goes to War. The audiobook of this one, however, is equally good and the narrator Barrie Kreinik does some excellent voices. Overall, this was an entertaining enough read with a bit of an abrupt conclusion, but may not be one I’ll remember much in the long term.

Rating: 3.5⭐️

Do you know what you’re supposed to do when you come across a new civilization that’s never been touched by industrialized society?

Well, it’s obvious that the opposing confederations in the background of The Fourth Consort don’t care about provincial notions like “observe and report”, because there’s a new planet in town and they’re both eagerly vying for its hand in…friendship. Sure. Let’s call it that. I’d call it evolutionary interruption, but violations of the Prime Directive really rile me so I may be biased.

The Fourth Consort is a relaxing and enjoyable read that I feel is probably going to be better in audio than it came across in text. It’s got a bumpy first half but a darkly exhilarating second half that kept me reading when I otherwise might have felt compelled to put the book down. I found it dry and witty in the best way but wanted something more from the moral and philosophical discourse. While I enjoyed being in Dalton’s head, I didn’t always feel connected to his motivations as a main character. At times I was there with him, sure I was on the same page, and then there would be large swaths of the books where I didn’t understand why he was making the choices he made. As a whole it was a great plot and a slightly above average read.

🩶 What to Expect 🩶

🍒 A translation device developed based on BBC broadcasts
💣 Stay alive, prevent your foe from winning friends, and wait for help
🍒 You know what they say about assuming, right?
💣 “So you’re sending me into the middle of an alien city, in the company of a known hostile, alone and completely unarmed.” Okay then.
🍒 Do you want to be a spaceman?
💣 What if you are the bad guys?
🍒 Try not to get eaten
💣 Prey vs. predator philosophy
🍒 What are the qualifications for a good interstellar diplomat anyway?
💣 Extreme views of honor
🍒 Polyandry plus misandry
💣 Darkly funny brother-husbands
🍒 Misadventures in mistranslation
💣 There was no discretion in that valor
🍒 Some words you just can’t take back

I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Action Adventure/Comedy/Science Fiction