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Redshirts: Chapters 1-4
THEY WERE EXPENDABLE . . . UNTIL THEY STARTED COMPARING NOTES
A free preview of Redshirts, the astonishing new science-fiction yarn from John Scalzi.
"Redshirts is (a) ruin-your-underwear funny, (b) a mind-bender sure to Philip K. Dick you over, and (c) absurdly rich in ideas and feeling. John Scalzi sets his imagination to STUN and scores a direct hit. Read on and prosper." - Joe Hill, New York Times-bestselling author of Heart-Shaped Box
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, with the chance to serve on "Away Missions" alongside the starship's famous senior officers.
Life couldn't be better . . . until Andrew begins to realize that (1) every Away Mission involves a lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship's senior officers always survive these confrontations, and (3) sadly, at least one low-ranking crew member is invariably killed. Unsurprisingly, the savvier crew members belowdecks avoid Away Missions at all costs.
Then Andrew stumbles on information that transforms his and his colleagues' understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is . . . and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.
At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.
A free preview of Redshirts, the astonishing new science-fiction yarn from John Scalzi.
"Redshirts is (a) ruin-your-underwear funny, (b) a mind-bender sure to Philip K. Dick you over, and (c) absurdly rich in ideas and feeling. John Scalzi sets his imagination to STUN and scores a direct hit. Read on and prosper." - Joe Hill, New York Times-bestselling author of Heart-Shaped Box
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, with the chance to serve on "Away Missions" alongside the starship's famous senior officers.
Life couldn't be better . . . until Andrew begins to realize that (1) every Away Mission involves a lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship's senior officers always survive these confrontations, and (3) sadly, at least one low-ranking crew member is invariably killed. Unsurprisingly, the savvier crew members belowdecks avoid Away Missions at all costs.
Then Andrew stumbles on information that transforms his and his colleagues' understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is . . . and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.
At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.
49 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 10, 2012
101 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
John Scalzi
185Ìýbooks26.7kÌýfollowersJohn Scalzi, having declared his absolute boredom with biographies, disappeared in a puff of glitter and lilac scent.
(If you want to contact John, using the mail function here is a really bad way to do it. Go to his site and use the contact information you find there.)
(If you want to contact John, using the mail function here is a really bad way to do it. Go to his site and use the contact information you find there.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 2, 2018
My rating 4.4
A good start to the book, about the exploration flagship, Intrepid. While exploring the planet, the crew literally died in various ways. Andrew Dahl, who comes to Intrepid as a replacement for a fallen crew member, soon finds out that strange things are happening. When surviving the attack of a deadly robot, he realizes that something cursedly is not right.
A good start to the book, about the exploration flagship, Intrepid. While exploring the planet, the crew literally died in various ways. Andrew Dahl, who comes to Intrepid as a replacement for a fallen crew member, soon finds out that strange things are happening. When surviving the attack of a deadly robot, he realizes that something cursedly is not right.
February 16, 2015
Will review the book as soon as I pick a copy up and read the rest of the book. Might not of read this so soon if it wasn't for the free first four chapters. Liked what I read. From the reviews I have read, it looks like I will enjoy the rest of the book too.
May 25, 2012
Funny and intriguing. I'm ready for more now.
Downloaded the free, four-chapter sample to the Kindle. I had never read any of Scalzi's fiction but enjoy reading his blog from time to time.
The title's Star Trek allusion caught my attention but also made me a little wary. While there are obvious parallels here -- Universal Union for Federation, Intrepid for Enterprise -- Redshirts is more just than a pastiche of Star Trek tropes or "what if" fanfic for Trekkers/ies.
The sample is funny but also intriguing. I found myself hooked by the end of the fourth chapter. I want to find out how things turn out for Ensigns Andrew Dahl and Maia Duvall and the other junior officers on the Intrepid. What's really going on on the Intrepid? When will Dahl and Duvall hook up? Can any of the redshirts survive an away mission?
Downloaded the free, four-chapter sample to the Kindle. I had never read any of Scalzi's fiction but enjoy reading his blog from time to time.
The title's Star Trek allusion caught my attention but also made me a little wary. While there are obvious parallels here -- Universal Union for Federation, Intrepid for Enterprise -- Redshirts is more just than a pastiche of Star Trek tropes or "what if" fanfic for Trekkers/ies.
The sample is funny but also intriguing. I found myself hooked by the end of the fourth chapter. I want to find out how things turn out for Ensigns Andrew Dahl and Maia Duvall and the other junior officers on the Intrepid. What's really going on on the Intrepid? When will Dahl and Duvall hook up? Can any of the redshirts survive an away mission?
December 18, 2019
I read the whole book, thank you.
May 22, 2017
Need the full book!
This was great! The only downside is that it was just a preview of the book. Now I need to go get the full book!
This was great! The only downside is that it was just a preview of the book. Now I need to go get the full book!
March 17, 2020
Ah, the joys of the narrative.
If characters in a tv sci fi story could think, would they figure out The Narrative? How many people with a red shirt on have to die?
If characters in a tv sci fi story could think, would they figure out The Narrative? How many people with a red shirt on have to die?
September 14, 2020
Wonderful
September 14, 2022
Are you a Trekkie? Then this book is for you.
May 21, 2013
"This is the part where you run and scream a lot."
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Intrepid, a spaceship that has the reputation of killing off most of its non-essential crew. The captain and senior officers and one or two especially good-looking guys always come back from planetary “away� missions alive (though often mangled up a bit), but always, always, at least one, and often many more, of the crew is killed. When Dahl and a few other new recruits begin investigating, they discover that the statistics just don’t work out right. There is definitely something weird going on. With the help of a computer hacker who hides in the bowels of the ship, they set out to get some answers and make a discovery that completely changes how they view the world.
I’d love to tell you more about the clever plot of Read More:
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Intrepid, a spaceship that has the reputation of killing off most of its non-essential crew. The captain and senior officers and one or two especially good-looking guys always come back from planetary “away� missions alive (though often mangled up a bit), but always, always, at least one, and often many more, of the crew is killed. When Dahl and a few other new recruits begin investigating, they discover that the statistics just don’t work out right. There is definitely something weird going on. With the help of a computer hacker who hides in the bowels of the ship, they set out to get some answers and make a discovery that completely changes how they view the world.
I’d love to tell you more about the clever plot of Read More:
August 24, 2012
Silly and fun, Redshirts was an easy read and I enjoyed it. It pokes some fun at sci-fi television, but its tongue-in-cheek imitative style doesn't come across as insulting to the fans (or writers).
If you don't mind your sci-fi getting a little bit "meta," and if you've ever yelled at the TV during away missions in a futile attempt to keep the security detail from having their faces eaten by aliens, chances are you'll get some laughs from this book.
If you don't mind your sci-fi getting a little bit "meta," and if you've ever yelled at the TV during away missions in a futile attempt to keep the security detail from having their faces eaten by aliens, chances are you'll get some laughs from this book.
December 30, 2015
Definitely curious for more, but not blown away. I love the concept and angle, but want to read more (especially knowing the premise from Still Untitled: The Adam Savage Project) - exactly what a sample is supposed to do. Fun to read and keep in mind when (re)watching Star Trek.
April 16, 2012
Promises much hilarity. Can't wait for the book to come out!
April 19, 2012
Scalzi has a great style and excellent narrative prowess. I loved the premise of the book as well as the chapters that were released. I am extremely looking forward to the release of the main book!
May 4, 2012
can't wait for the rest of the book to come out
May 9, 2012
It ends kind of abruptly..... yes, I'm kidding. relax.
January 19, 2013
So now I have to buy the book to find out what's really going on and what happens next. I'm hooked.
April 4, 2013
Great book, hilarious take on a cliche. I find even his light sci-fi to be rich.
June 14, 2013
Would have rated it higher if it were not
a subset of chapters for the complete book.
a subset of chapters for the complete book.
October 16, 2013
Thought the book was good.
May 1, 2014
Positively one of the best books I've ever read.
May 20, 2014
Interesting concept. Well written and entertaining.
June 17, 2014
Not his best work. It was funny for a bit.
January 26, 2015
For anyone who is a Trekkie or Trekker, you will find this hilarious.
November 19, 2016
Heard this was good
Campy but fun premise. The author knows how to craft characters and just how far to push the outlandish plot.
Campy but fun premise. The author knows how to craft characters and just how far to push the outlandish plot.
January 12, 2017
Funny, easy to see parallels with StarTrek.
August 29, 2014
Kind of meh
June 25, 2015
Well, I read the free sample chapter and I look forward to the rest of the book!
April 12, 2017
First of all, I have ordered the book. I am a Star Trek fan, and a fan of spoofing sci-fi. So this is kind of written with someone like me in mind. There is a "however".
The however is that it lacked in it's writing style. I have never read any other works by Mr. Scalzi, so I am not sure if this is prone to this book or not. I enjoyed the fast pace and the dialogue, though many of the characters seemed monochromatic. By that, I mean that it didn't matter who said what, as long as it was said. The characters lacked depth, except for three emotions: fear, anger, and confusion. I laughed out loud at the unfortunate demise of the disposable away crewmen from the first chapter through the fourth, but I grew no more sympathetic to their demise as the story progressed. I began to wonder if I was laughing because of the author's ideas, or just because he was reminding me of what I was thinking when I watched so many of those original Star Trek episodes.
There was no descriptive nature to the story other than the carnage. What did the characters look like? What did the ship, interior or exterior, look like? The planets, the cave, the space station, the monsters, etc. I'm sure we are all thinking Star Trek, so are we just supposed to filling in the blanks with campy nostalgia? What about body language between characters? I appreciate that the author sees it in his head, but maybe let me in on it too. Subtle or gross, there is always cues given to the reader, rendering juxtaposition or relationship between the characters. That just wasn't there. Using just dialogue is a poor idea to create depth.
It just seemed hurried to get to the bullet points before the reader either bored or figured out the meta, yet singular, premise of the story. Sadly, after reading the story summary and four chapters in, I believe I have reached both.
While I found his writing to lack in imagination, I applaud Mr. Scalzi's premise and his skill at humor. For those reasons, I have ordered the book. I will read it, enjoy it for its merits, and then put it aside. But I will never say it was a great book, nor Mr. Scalzi a great writer whose books I will delve further into.
The however is that it lacked in it's writing style. I have never read any other works by Mr. Scalzi, so I am not sure if this is prone to this book or not. I enjoyed the fast pace and the dialogue, though many of the characters seemed monochromatic. By that, I mean that it didn't matter who said what, as long as it was said. The characters lacked depth, except for three emotions: fear, anger, and confusion. I laughed out loud at the unfortunate demise of the disposable away crewmen from the first chapter through the fourth, but I grew no more sympathetic to their demise as the story progressed. I began to wonder if I was laughing because of the author's ideas, or just because he was reminding me of what I was thinking when I watched so many of those original Star Trek episodes.
There was no descriptive nature to the story other than the carnage. What did the characters look like? What did the ship, interior or exterior, look like? The planets, the cave, the space station, the monsters, etc. I'm sure we are all thinking Star Trek, so are we just supposed to filling in the blanks with campy nostalgia? What about body language between characters? I appreciate that the author sees it in his head, but maybe let me in on it too. Subtle or gross, there is always cues given to the reader, rendering juxtaposition or relationship between the characters. That just wasn't there. Using just dialogue is a poor idea to create depth.
It just seemed hurried to get to the bullet points before the reader either bored or figured out the meta, yet singular, premise of the story. Sadly, after reading the story summary and four chapters in, I believe I have reached both.
While I found his writing to lack in imagination, I applaud Mr. Scalzi's premise and his skill at humor. For those reasons, I have ordered the book. I will read it, enjoy it for its merits, and then put it aside. But I will never say it was a great book, nor Mr. Scalzi a great writer whose books I will delve further into.
Shelved as 'read-cross-reference'
October 11, 2017Part of: /book/show/1...
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