In Issue 13 we did a review of Ernest Cline’s book Armada. Here’s the review I posted on Goodreads:

First of all, I want to give this 4.5 stars, not 4 but this site doesn’t allow half stars so there you go. The reason I didn’t give it 5 is because I enjoyed Ready Player One (RPO) just that little bit more. But that being said, this is still a really good novel.

I’m pretty sure most people wanting to read Armada will have read RPO. (And if you haven’t, you really should!) But this is not a sequel or a continuation of that story, so it’s not necessary to read it for an understanding of Armada. Where the RPO plot was based on quest-style video gaming, Armada’s is all about alien invasions. But you don’t need to be a gamer geek to enjoy it! (Trust me on that… I’m not one.) If there’s one thing Ernest Cline does well it’s providing detail so there is no getting lost along the way. The plot is quite a ride and has a few twists (some a little more obvious than others), but the whole story comes together well.

The character types are recognizable but interesting and realistic, and it’s easy for any geek to identify with the protagonist, Zack, to at least some degree. And considering the plot involves a global event, the diversity of characters works really well. There is even a bit of a love story, but just a bit and the way it plays out makes sense within the greater plot.

As with RPO, there are a lot of pop culture references that seem like inside jokes at times, but really work. To be honest, I read a particular reference within just the first couple of pages and I was hooked. And this time around there’s even a soundtrack full of 70s and 80s rock (even though this is set in the very near future, it makes sense to have this music, but I don’t want to spoil why).

Even you haven’t guessed yet, I would recommend reading Armada. It may not be quite to everyone’s taste, but it has a broad enough appeal that even those not into hardcore gaming or scifi/fantasy will enjoy it.

Rating: 4 stars (though actually 4.5)