Here is a recent Goodreads reader review of
GALAXY OF HEROES.
Warning! Spoilers!
From Jerry in Australia:
"Galaxy of Heroes is somewhat reminiscent of the best bits of Firefly/Serenity and the Star Wars movies, but still manages to be an original and fun story in its own right. It has that space cowboy and Captain Tightpants aspect of Firefly, combined wi...more Galaxy of Heroes is somewhat reminiscent of the best bits of Firefly/Serenity and the Star Wars movies, but still manages to be an original and fun story in its own right. It has that space cowboy and Captain Tightpants aspect of Firefly, combined with Star Wars-esque aliens and battle scenes, but kickass original characters and intriguing mythology.
Also, along with Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series, I found that Galaxy of Heroes is one of the few books I like that manages to blend young adult fiction and fantasy/sci-fi themes seamlessly, making the concepts easy to understand without feeling too juvenile. I feel like age really isn't too much of an issue with this story, as long as you have an interest in sci-fi and you cheer for the underdog.
Speaking of the underdog, I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Captain Spade made me laugh, and reminded me of a mix of Mal and Jayne from Firefly, along with someone else I can't quite put my finger on. He was kickass and made me laugh, and I enjoyed his sarcastic sense of humour. I quite liked Mina Casey too, which I didn't expect - usually when authors create strong I-will-kill-you female characters like Mina Casey they just annoy the shit out of me and I want to punch them.
I really want to hear more about Grimes and Genie too! I'd love to see and hear how their voyage to the Calli Sector goes, and in setting up a new colony - particularly when Spade and Casey show up with tonnes of refugees in tow. I expected them to show up at the end and help fight on Portogallos, and was a bit bummed when that didn't happen =/ I really loved watching/reading about Genie's transformation though, in terms of her relationship with Grimes and fighting with the organic and inorganic sides of herself.
I also wanted Spade to actually track down Dr. Zander, and have to admit I half rolled my eyes when Mina said 'he's in YOU' (or something to that effect). Much of Spade's story was tied up in his quest for the doctor, so I was a bit confused when that never really eventuated. I'd like to see this novel turn into a series, so I can see some of these plotarcs unfold a little more.
On that note, I found the Craaldan view on war and their evolution to be really fascinating, and would also love to hear more about their conquests before and after the events that take place in the novel. I was really struck by how war was so ingrained in their being that they'd simply accepted that in the end there'd be nothing left to destroy, and that they'd return to the mutinous behaviour they were originally known for.
I'd also love to hear more about the Diocons, both before and after the events of this novel. Much more brutal and cold than the Craaldans, I'd really love to explore their twisted psyche and learn how they became what they are.
So overall, I really quite enjoyed this novel. It's a light, fun read that blends young adult and sci-fi almost flawlessly, and I'm more curious than disappointed about some loose ends being left untied. I do hope the author turns this into a series if that isn't in the pipeline already, because I would love to hear more on everything. Hell, I'd even settle for some short stories or something.
FTC disclaimer: I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program, and as such should probably say something about how that doesn't affect my opinion yadda yadda yadda. Well it doesn't - a shit book is still a shit book, and I've torn the author a new one on a couple of occasions ;] just check my first-reads shelf!"