Rubicon

By: J. S. Dewes

Narrated by: Eunice Wong

"Eunice Wong smoothly differentiates a diverse cast in this edgy military thriller."—AudioFile

J. S. Dewes, author of The Last Watch and The Exiled Fleet, returns with another science fiction space opera, Rubicon, that melds elements of Scalzi's Old Man's War with Edge of Tomorrow.

Sergeant Adriene Valero wants to die.

She can't.

After enduring a traumatic resurrection for the ninety-sixth time, Valero is reassigned to a special forces unit and outfitted with a cutting-edge virtual intelligence aid. They could turn the tide in the war against intelligent machines dedicated to the assimilation, or destruction, of humanity.

When her VI suddenly achieves sentience, Valero is drawn into the machinations of an enigmatic major who’s hell-bent on ending the war—by any means necessary.

The Divide series

The Last Watch

The Exiled Fleet

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

©2023 J. S. Dewes (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Rubicon and the trauma in it feel terrifyingly real. I couldn't look away.”—Mary Robinette Kowal, Hugo-award winning author of the Lady Astronaut series

“Dewes (the Divide series) continues to demonstrate a gift for superior hard sci-fi with a standalone outing that is simultaneously thoughtful and pulse-pounding. ... Fans of smart military sci-fi will be riveted."—Publishers Weekly

“Rubicon is non-stop military SF action with plenty of twists. I couldn't put it down. J.S. Dewes has entered the military SF arena and firmly planted her flag as one of the best in the business today.”—Michael Mammay, author of The Misfit Soldier

Amazing

What a fun listen. Great story, writing, and narration. I'm sad that it is over and can't wait for more stories grow J.S. Dewes!

Trope on trope

Narrator does a great job.

Beyond that, the story doesn't have much going for it. There are a couple of interesting ideas, but it doesn't handle the scope of the galaxy well at all. Characters are 1 dimensional, then they're dead.

I like female main characters in military situations, so that's a good point. But there isn't really anything likable, unlikable, or compelling about this one. She's just kind of there to take up space while the story moves her around like a garden gnome in the yard.

No spoilers, but the ending is pretty predictable. Just think "Kaiser Soze".

Almost great, but very dark

This book certainly has a lot going for it. Highly imaginative and compelling, it kept me listening, but ultimately I felt let down. It was just too dark for me.

Slow Build But Worth It

I had a much harder time getting into this. The set up for the plot took a while to be set up. However, eventually it kicked in. I enjoy the mystery on the galactic scale of where the AI robots came from and what their purpose was. AI is one of my favorite things in sci-fi. I did not care for the ending.

I enjoyed the world building the author did. The author also (intentional or not) did a great representation of depression and the going through the motions while feeling numb. There is something to be said for how the character slowly is pulled out of this as well and reconnects.

I enjoyed the mystery and military conspiracy aspects. I think the book raises questions of what makes us human and if it is beyond just our physical bodies or the conscious mind. The author also explores how connection, love, death, and loss also are part of the human condition.

A tired story that seem to be forced.

Unfortunately, I got the impression from this book that the author fell into a whole bunch of bad writer traps.

For ex: Continually trying to “tell” us. How badass her marine is, rather than show us.

Or Introducing characters just to achieve one simple plot point, and then killing them off.

Or Single color emotions, she’s afraid of one thing the hole book. maybe she’s afraid of other things, but she intentionally ignores them, I don’t know maybe the writer is trying to prevent confusing the audience with her complex backstabbing story.

also a lot of the action is thrown in as an afterthought. Like these Marines are scooting around the neighborhood, finding things to keep themselves occupied….. until the next backstabbing plot comes revealed.