What do you think?
Rate this book
Donovan #1
Outpost
From the bestselling co-author of the People novels comes a riveting science fiction adventure on a planet with danger around every corner
Donovan is a world of remarkable wealth, a habitable paradise of a planet. It sounds like a dream come true. But Donovan's wealth comes at a price.
When the ship Turalon arrives in orbit, Supervisor Kalico Aguila discovers a failing colony, its government overthrown and the few remaining colonists now gone wild. Donovan offers the chance of a lifetime, one that could leave her the most powerful woman in the solar system. Or dead.
Planetside, Talina Perez is one of three rulers of the Port Authority colony—the only law left in the one remaining town on Donovan. With the Corporate ship demanding answers about the things she's done in the name of survival, Perez could lose everything, including her life.
For Dan Wirth, Donovan is a last chance. A psychopath with a death sentence looming over his head, he can't wait to set foot on Port Authority. He will make one desperate play to grab a piece of the action—no matter who he has to corrupt, murder, or destroy.
Captain Max Taggart has been The Corporation's "go-to" guy when it comes to brutal enforcement. As the situation in Port Authority deteriorates, he'll be faced with tough choices to control the wild Donovanians. Only Talina Perez stands in his way.
Just as matters spiral out of control, a ghost ship, the Freelander , appears in orbit. Missing for two years, she arrives with a crew dead of old age, and reeks of a bizarre death-cult ritual that deters any ship from attempting a return journey. And in the meantime, a brutal killer is stalking all of them, for Donovan plays its own complex and deadly game. The secrets of which are hidden in Talina Perez's very blood.
Donovan is a world of remarkable wealth, a habitable paradise of a planet. It sounds like a dream come true. But Donovan's wealth comes at a price.
When the ship Turalon arrives in orbit, Supervisor Kalico Aguila discovers a failing colony, its government overthrown and the few remaining colonists now gone wild. Donovan offers the chance of a lifetime, one that could leave her the most powerful woman in the solar system. Or dead.
Planetside, Talina Perez is one of three rulers of the Port Authority colony—the only law left in the one remaining town on Donovan. With the Corporate ship demanding answers about the things she's done in the name of survival, Perez could lose everything, including her life.
For Dan Wirth, Donovan is a last chance. A psychopath with a death sentence looming over his head, he can't wait to set foot on Port Authority. He will make one desperate play to grab a piece of the action—no matter who he has to corrupt, murder, or destroy.
Captain Max Taggart has been The Corporation's "go-to" guy when it comes to brutal enforcement. As the situation in Port Authority deteriorates, he'll be faced with tough choices to control the wild Donovanians. Only Talina Perez stands in his way.
Just as matters spiral out of control, a ghost ship, the Freelander , appears in orbit. Missing for two years, she arrives with a crew dead of old age, and reeks of a bizarre death-cult ritual that deters any ship from attempting a return journey. And in the meantime, a brutal killer is stalking all of them, for Donovan plays its own complex and deadly game. The secrets of which are hidden in Talina Perez's very blood.
422 pages, Hardcover
First published February 20, 2018
188 people are currently reading
2,864 people want to read
About the author
W. Michael Gear
192Ìýbooks718ÌýfollowersW. Michael Gear was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on the twentieth of May, 1955. A fourth generation Colorado native, his family had been involved in hard-rock mining, cattle ranching, and journalism. After his father's death in 1959, Michael's mother received her Master's degree in journalism and began teaching. In 1962 she married Joseph J. Cook, who taught tool and die making, and the family lived in Lakewood, Colorado, until 1968. At that time they moved to Fort Collins so that Joe could pursue his Ph.D.. During those years the family lived in the foothills above Horsetooth Reservoir.
It was there that Mike developed a love of history, anthropology, and motorcycles. They would color his future and fill his imagination for the rest of his life. During summers he volunteered labor on local ranches or at the farm east of Greeley and landed his first real job: picking up trash at the lake and cleaning outhouses. It has been said that his exposure to trash led him into archaeology. We will not speculate about what cleaning the outhouses might have led him to. On his first dig as a professional archaeologist in 1976 he discovered that two thousand year old human trash isn't nearly as obnoxious as the new stuff.
Michael graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1972 and pursued both his Bachelor's (1976) and Master's (1979) degrees at Colorado State University. Upon completion of his Master's - his specialty was in physical anthropology - he went to work for Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs as a field archaeologist.
It was in the winter of 1978 that he wrote his first novel. Irritated by historical inaccuracies in Western fiction, he swore he could do better. He was "taking retirement in installments," archaeology being a seasonal career, in the cabin his great uncle Aubrey had built. One cold January night he read a Western novel about a trail drive in which steers (castrated males) had calves. The historical inaccuracies of the story bothered him all night. The next morning, still incensed, he chunked wood into the stove and hunkered over the typewriter. There, on the mining claim, at nine thousand feet outside of Empire, Colorado he hammered out his first five hundred and fifty page novel. Yes, that first manuscript still exists, but if there is justice in the universe, no one will ever see it. It reads wretchedly - but the historical facts are correct!
Beginning in 1981, Michael, along with two partners, put together his own archaeological consulting company. Pronghorn Anthropological Associates began doing cultural resource management studies in 1982, and, although Michael sold his interest in 1984, to this day the company remains in business in Casper, Wyoming. During the years, Michael has worked throughout the western United States doing archaeological surveys, testing, and mitigation for pipelines, oil wells, power lines, timber sales, and highway construction. He learned the value of strong black coffee, developed a palate for chocolate donuts, and ferreted out every quality Mexican restaurant in eight states. He spent nine months of the year traveling from project to project with his trowel and dig kit, a clapped-out '72 Wonder Blazer, and his boon companion, Tedi, a noble tri-color Sheltie.
That fateful day in November, 1981, was delightfully clear, cold, and still in Laramie, Wyoming. Archaeologists from all over the state had arrived at the University of Wyoming for the annual meetings of the Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists. It was there, in the meeting room, way too early after a much too long night, that Mike first laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the world: Kathleen O'Neal Gear. The BLM State Archaeologist, Ray Leicht, introduced him to the pretty anthropologist and historian, and best of all, Ray invited Mike to lunch with Kathleen. It was the perfect beginning for a long and wondrous relationship.
It was there that Mike developed a love of history, anthropology, and motorcycles. They would color his future and fill his imagination for the rest of his life. During summers he volunteered labor on local ranches or at the farm east of Greeley and landed his first real job: picking up trash at the lake and cleaning outhouses. It has been said that his exposure to trash led him into archaeology. We will not speculate about what cleaning the outhouses might have led him to. On his first dig as a professional archaeologist in 1976 he discovered that two thousand year old human trash isn't nearly as obnoxious as the new stuff.
Michael graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1972 and pursued both his Bachelor's (1976) and Master's (1979) degrees at Colorado State University. Upon completion of his Master's - his specialty was in physical anthropology - he went to work for Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs as a field archaeologist.
It was in the winter of 1978 that he wrote his first novel. Irritated by historical inaccuracies in Western fiction, he swore he could do better. He was "taking retirement in installments," archaeology being a seasonal career, in the cabin his great uncle Aubrey had built. One cold January night he read a Western novel about a trail drive in which steers (castrated males) had calves. The historical inaccuracies of the story bothered him all night. The next morning, still incensed, he chunked wood into the stove and hunkered over the typewriter. There, on the mining claim, at nine thousand feet outside of Empire, Colorado he hammered out his first five hundred and fifty page novel. Yes, that first manuscript still exists, but if there is justice in the universe, no one will ever see it. It reads wretchedly - but the historical facts are correct!
Beginning in 1981, Michael, along with two partners, put together his own archaeological consulting company. Pronghorn Anthropological Associates began doing cultural resource management studies in 1982, and, although Michael sold his interest in 1984, to this day the company remains in business in Casper, Wyoming. During the years, Michael has worked throughout the western United States doing archaeological surveys, testing, and mitigation for pipelines, oil wells, power lines, timber sales, and highway construction. He learned the value of strong black coffee, developed a palate for chocolate donuts, and ferreted out every quality Mexican restaurant in eight states. He spent nine months of the year traveling from project to project with his trowel and dig kit, a clapped-out '72 Wonder Blazer, and his boon companion, Tedi, a noble tri-color Sheltie.
That fateful day in November, 1981, was delightfully clear, cold, and still in Laramie, Wyoming. Archaeologists from all over the state had arrived at the University of Wyoming for the annual meetings of the Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists. It was there, in the meeting room, way too early after a much too long night, that Mike first laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the world: Kathleen O'Neal Gear. The BLM State Archaeologist, Ray Leicht, introduced him to the pretty anthropologist and historian, and best of all, Ray invited Mike to lunch with Kathleen. It was the perfect beginning for a long and wondrous relationship.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
November 29, 2018
4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum
One thing I realized after reading this book, is that I love colonization sci-fi for a lot of the same reasons I love Westerns. A harsh and unforgiving landscape always seems to play an important role, and the stories often project a similar kind of atmosphere and ambience: the thrill of heading out into the great unknown and largely unsettled territory, the struggle of making a better life for yourself and your family while trying to impart order on a dangerous wilderness, and the absolute lawlessness of an untamed and sparsely populated frontier.
But despite the merciless nature of the land, some people take to it and even thrive on it, embracing it as their home. This is essentially the tableau we’re presented with in Outpost by W. Micheal Gear. Our story opens on Donovan, a planet settled by colonists who arrived a mere few decades ago to establish a mining operation on behalf of the Corporation. What they hadn’t expected, however, was the lack of support they would receive from their employers. Everyone had underestimated the dangers on Donovan, and as a result, within a generation, the original group of settlers had been reduced to couple hundred. Some had fallen prey to predators, while many more died from accidents and disease. Had they been provided with the necessary weapons, medicines, and equipment they were promised, most of the deaths could have been prevented, but the last time the colony saw a Corporate resupply ship was more than six years ago.
Of course, some of this also had to do with the unavoidable perils of space travel. Almost half a dozen Corporate ships have gone missing, never reaching their destinations. So when news arrives that the Turalon has been sighted in orbit, it is almost like a miracle. The people of Donovan are relieved but some are also quite fearful. With space travel being such a risky business these days, what will happen to their colony? And for those who want to return to the Solar System, is it worth the chance that they will become lost forever? Or would it be better simply to remain on Donovan, where most of the colonists have deeds to their own land and control over their own lives? Could they even convince the Corporation representatives to let them keep the properties and businesses they’ve established, or has the Turalon come to seize and dismantle everything they’ve worked so hard to build?
So many questions, and so many avenues for story ideas and character exploration. Speaking of which, Outpost features a pretty big cast, but all the individuals are compelling and memorable in their own unique ways. Some of the major players include Talina Perez, the de facto leader of the Port Authority colony on Donovan. She’s a tough and charismatic woman who first arrived on planet to protect the original settlers, but over time she has grown to accept Donovan and in turn Donovan has grown to accept her. The book starts off with a scene of Talina having a run-in with a quetzal—a type of lizard-like creature native to the planet, whose favorite prey includes warm, squishy humans—and the encounter leaves her changed forever. Backing her up are her team of enforcers and friends, including Yvette and Shig with their invaluable advice, as well as Trish, the young orphaned teen Talina had taken under her wing. I loved Talina and the way she was written, mainly because of the presence she commanded through her actions and words; there was no telling, only showing.
Then we have the characters of the Corporation, and believe it or not, in this corner we find even more incredible and varied backgrounds. Kalico Aguila is the supervisor of the Turalon expedition, an ambitious young woman who finds herself in way over her head when she arrives on Donovan to find a diminished colony whose members have devolved in a wild and ungovernable bunch of roughnecks who could give a rat’s ass about her so-called authority. A rich spoiled princess, she has never had anyone defy her to her face, and now she faces a tough decision, weighing what she knows about the colony’s riches against the dangers of spacing. Answering to Kalico is Max Taggart, the Marine captain in charge of enforcing the law—or at least as far as the law can be enforced on Donovan, as the Corporation soon learns the hard way. A brutal no-nonsense tough guy, Max is the epitome of the stony and unrelenting officer who only is best at following orders, which is why the intense chemistry generated between him and Talina ended up being such a fantastic surprise.
And finally, there’s Dan Wirth…who’s not actually Dan Wirth. A murdering psychopath who stole his identity in order to board the Turalon, Dan has no intention of ever returning to Earth, where a death sentence awaits. To him, the chaos on Donovan means paradise and a chance for him to get a piece of the action, and he can hide his true intentions for as long as it takes. Even though he’s bar none the vilest, most despicable character in the entire novel, Dan was one of my favorite points-of-view to follow. Having an antagonist as one of your main POVs is always a risky choice, but it’s also one that pays off so much when done well. Dan’s sections of the story added even more nuance to the already threatening and high-strung atmosphere of Port Authority and made the colony’s predicament into an even more volatile situation.
There’s a lot going on in this book: survival, politics, romance, and even a mystery with the return of a Corporate ship that went missing two years ago. However, everybody onboard has died of old age and all that’s left of the crew is a pile of skulls indicating the possibility of some death-cult ritual (see the cover). Communication equipment on the ghost ship is working but non-functional—almost as though it is trapped in its own sort of time bubble.
In sum, there is a lot to love in Outpost—so many places to go, people to meet, and stories to discover. There’s action and adventure, high drama mixed with intrigue and suspense, a dash of passion and heartbreak. I enjoyed every moment reading this book and in some ways I’m glad I’d waited to start it, because of course now I can jump into the sequel right away. I can’t wait to see what else the Donovan Trilogy has in store for us.
One thing I realized after reading this book, is that I love colonization sci-fi for a lot of the same reasons I love Westerns. A harsh and unforgiving landscape always seems to play an important role, and the stories often project a similar kind of atmosphere and ambience: the thrill of heading out into the great unknown and largely unsettled territory, the struggle of making a better life for yourself and your family while trying to impart order on a dangerous wilderness, and the absolute lawlessness of an untamed and sparsely populated frontier.
But despite the merciless nature of the land, some people take to it and even thrive on it, embracing it as their home. This is essentially the tableau we’re presented with in Outpost by W. Micheal Gear. Our story opens on Donovan, a planet settled by colonists who arrived a mere few decades ago to establish a mining operation on behalf of the Corporation. What they hadn’t expected, however, was the lack of support they would receive from their employers. Everyone had underestimated the dangers on Donovan, and as a result, within a generation, the original group of settlers had been reduced to couple hundred. Some had fallen prey to predators, while many more died from accidents and disease. Had they been provided with the necessary weapons, medicines, and equipment they were promised, most of the deaths could have been prevented, but the last time the colony saw a Corporate resupply ship was more than six years ago.
Of course, some of this also had to do with the unavoidable perils of space travel. Almost half a dozen Corporate ships have gone missing, never reaching their destinations. So when news arrives that the Turalon has been sighted in orbit, it is almost like a miracle. The people of Donovan are relieved but some are also quite fearful. With space travel being such a risky business these days, what will happen to their colony? And for those who want to return to the Solar System, is it worth the chance that they will become lost forever? Or would it be better simply to remain on Donovan, where most of the colonists have deeds to their own land and control over their own lives? Could they even convince the Corporation representatives to let them keep the properties and businesses they’ve established, or has the Turalon come to seize and dismantle everything they’ve worked so hard to build?
So many questions, and so many avenues for story ideas and character exploration. Speaking of which, Outpost features a pretty big cast, but all the individuals are compelling and memorable in their own unique ways. Some of the major players include Talina Perez, the de facto leader of the Port Authority colony on Donovan. She’s a tough and charismatic woman who first arrived on planet to protect the original settlers, but over time she has grown to accept Donovan and in turn Donovan has grown to accept her. The book starts off with a scene of Talina having a run-in with a quetzal—a type of lizard-like creature native to the planet, whose favorite prey includes warm, squishy humans—and the encounter leaves her changed forever. Backing her up are her team of enforcers and friends, including Yvette and Shig with their invaluable advice, as well as Trish, the young orphaned teen Talina had taken under her wing. I loved Talina and the way she was written, mainly because of the presence she commanded through her actions and words; there was no telling, only showing.
Then we have the characters of the Corporation, and believe it or not, in this corner we find even more incredible and varied backgrounds. Kalico Aguila is the supervisor of the Turalon expedition, an ambitious young woman who finds herself in way over her head when she arrives on Donovan to find a diminished colony whose members have devolved in a wild and ungovernable bunch of roughnecks who could give a rat’s ass about her so-called authority. A rich spoiled princess, she has never had anyone defy her to her face, and now she faces a tough decision, weighing what she knows about the colony’s riches against the dangers of spacing. Answering to Kalico is Max Taggart, the Marine captain in charge of enforcing the law—or at least as far as the law can be enforced on Donovan, as the Corporation soon learns the hard way. A brutal no-nonsense tough guy, Max is the epitome of the stony and unrelenting officer who only is best at following orders, which is why the intense chemistry generated between him and Talina ended up being such a fantastic surprise.
And finally, there’s Dan Wirth…who’s not actually Dan Wirth. A murdering psychopath who stole his identity in order to board the Turalon, Dan has no intention of ever returning to Earth, where a death sentence awaits. To him, the chaos on Donovan means paradise and a chance for him to get a piece of the action, and he can hide his true intentions for as long as it takes. Even though he’s bar none the vilest, most despicable character in the entire novel, Dan was one of my favorite points-of-view to follow. Having an antagonist as one of your main POVs is always a risky choice, but it’s also one that pays off so much when done well. Dan’s sections of the story added even more nuance to the already threatening and high-strung atmosphere of Port Authority and made the colony’s predicament into an even more volatile situation.
There’s a lot going on in this book: survival, politics, romance, and even a mystery with the return of a Corporate ship that went missing two years ago. However, everybody onboard has died of old age and all that’s left of the crew is a pile of skulls indicating the possibility of some death-cult ritual (see the cover). Communication equipment on the ghost ship is working but non-functional—almost as though it is trapped in its own sort of time bubble.
In sum, there is a lot to love in Outpost—so many places to go, people to meet, and stories to discover. There’s action and adventure, high drama mixed with intrigue and suspense, a dash of passion and heartbreak. I enjoyed every moment reading this book and in some ways I’m glad I’d waited to start it, because of course now I can jump into the sequel right away. I can’t wait to see what else the Donovan Trilogy has in store for us.
March 14, 2022
4.5 stars
I was going to give this 4 stars, but I ended up enjoying so much that I bumped it up. This is my first book by Gear, and it's clear from the confident way Outpost proceeds that he is an experienced storyteller.
I like colony stories, and this was an entertaining one. There was a nice balance between the conflicts among people and the tension created by living on a world where everything around you is dangerous.
The worldbuilding was very well done. The descriptions of Donovan's scenery, the alien vegetation, the apparently sentient yet deadly megafauna, all of it created a sense of thrilling possibility. The characters did mostly tend towards stereotypes-- the attractive yet extremely dangerous and manipulative man; the fiery and independent Latina woman; the dutiful yet torn military man (there were others, but you get the general idea)--but honestly, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.
This isn't deep literature, but it is a fine piece of entertainment that got me hooked early and kept me interested right to the end.
I was going to give this 4 stars, but I ended up enjoying so much that I bumped it up. This is my first book by Gear, and it's clear from the confident way Outpost proceeds that he is an experienced storyteller.
I like colony stories, and this was an entertaining one. There was a nice balance between the conflicts among people and the tension created by living on a world where everything around you is dangerous.
The worldbuilding was very well done. The descriptions of Donovan's scenery, the alien vegetation, the apparently sentient yet deadly megafauna, all of it created a sense of thrilling possibility. The characters did mostly tend towards stereotypes-- the attractive yet extremely dangerous and manipulative man; the fiery and independent Latina woman; the dutiful yet torn military man (there were others, but you get the general idea)--but honestly, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.
This isn't deep literature, but it is a fine piece of entertainment that got me hooked early and kept me interested right to the end.
May 7, 2020
See this review and more like it on !
______
This was my first book by W. Michael Gear, and it certainly won’t be my last. Even though this book did not turn out to be at all what I had expected it to be, I was quickly drawn in by the setting of Donovan and the stories of the people that call it home.
A dangerous planet on the farthest reaches of known space, Donovan is cut off from the rest of humanity, and its people are left to vie for control of the resources it has to offer.
Told through shifting perspectives in alternating chapters, Gear develops the world and his characters as they begin to exert their influence upon each other and the landscape through political and economic machinations.
From the cover one would assume this book was going to be a lot more macabre than it actually ends up. I can’t lie: I was slightly disappointed that this book »å¾±»å²Ô’t really go there with the horror elements like I’d anticipated it would. While there are minor horrific elements (such as Freelander appearing in orbit over Donovan, its crew long dead victims of a death cult) the horror itself takes a backseat to a space opera with a ton of moving parts.
I eventually found myself more invested in those moving parts than I was in the gigantic spaceship full of skeletons floating above the planet.
While I’m fairly certain this aspect of the story isn’t over yet and that we’ll see more of Freelander later in the series, this book sort of glosses over the darkest aspects and quickly refocuses instead on what the arrival of Freelander and Turalon’s resources mean to those left alive on the planet’s surface.
Effectively abandoned by the intergalactic governing body of the future, those left behind on Donovan must scrabble with each other for control of those resources and the political currency to carve their way forward as a people.
As one of Donovan’s longest standing citizens, Talina Perez comprises one third of Donovan’s current governing body, The Trimunvirate. She and her friends are familiar with the dangers of the planet, and seem best suited to run the place, but of course the arrival of the last ship that The Corporation will likely ever send their way, Turalon, Donovan suddenly finds itself home to hundreds of new personalities all vying for a piece of the pie.
People like Kalico Aquila, sent by the shareholders of The Corporation to take over supervision of a colony of people who may no longer hold allegiance to her.
And men like Dan Wirth, a vicious psychopath who is unafraid to deal with the devil in order to better his own personal position in the world.
The author creates a compelling and believable microcosm of human society on Donovan through the ways these deeply varied characters begin to interact with one another. It’s Space Opera meets Western, as intergalactic characters are suddenly stranded on solid ground and in the midst of a power vacuum.
This book helped to open my mind to more adult sci-fi and fantasy stories. While Young Adult has been my bread and butter for years, I’ve become so accustomed to the formula of those stories that it was nice getting to sink so deeply into a new world and the interpersonal drama of the adult characters living within it.
Aside from more horror, I did want a little more description for the flora and fauna of Donovan. Aside from Quetzels (which are basically velociraptor/dragon hybrids of this world) many of the other alien creatures and plant life seemed a little loosely drawn or described and thus were difficult to fathom. For example, the majority of creatures in the books have names that warn the locals what they do, but very little description for readers what they look like. Example: gotchya-vines, sidewinders, nightmares, etc.
Still, I think that the world itself will continue to get more complex over the course of the series � especially as the characters learn more about the world they’re stranded on.
All in all, this was a really unexpected delight, and a very compelling read. I find the characters particularly charming � even the ones I loved to hate. I’m excited to see how the locals on Donovan fare in future additions to this series!
★★★★ = 4 out of 5 stars!
______
Follow me on Instagram @bookbastion!
______
This was my first book by W. Michael Gear, and it certainly won’t be my last. Even though this book did not turn out to be at all what I had expected it to be, I was quickly drawn in by the setting of Donovan and the stories of the people that call it home.
A dangerous planet on the farthest reaches of known space, Donovan is cut off from the rest of humanity, and its people are left to vie for control of the resources it has to offer.
Told through shifting perspectives in alternating chapters, Gear develops the world and his characters as they begin to exert their influence upon each other and the landscape through political and economic machinations.
From the cover one would assume this book was going to be a lot more macabre than it actually ends up. I can’t lie: I was slightly disappointed that this book »å¾±»å²Ô’t really go there with the horror elements like I’d anticipated it would. While there are minor horrific elements (such as Freelander appearing in orbit over Donovan, its crew long dead victims of a death cult) the horror itself takes a backseat to a space opera with a ton of moving parts.
I eventually found myself more invested in those moving parts than I was in the gigantic spaceship full of skeletons floating above the planet.
While I’m fairly certain this aspect of the story isn’t over yet and that we’ll see more of Freelander later in the series, this book sort of glosses over the darkest aspects and quickly refocuses instead on what the arrival of Freelander and Turalon’s resources mean to those left alive on the planet’s surface.
Effectively abandoned by the intergalactic governing body of the future, those left behind on Donovan must scrabble with each other for control of those resources and the political currency to carve their way forward as a people.
As one of Donovan’s longest standing citizens, Talina Perez comprises one third of Donovan’s current governing body, The Trimunvirate. She and her friends are familiar with the dangers of the planet, and seem best suited to run the place, but of course the arrival of the last ship that The Corporation will likely ever send their way, Turalon, Donovan suddenly finds itself home to hundreds of new personalities all vying for a piece of the pie.
People like Kalico Aquila, sent by the shareholders of The Corporation to take over supervision of a colony of people who may no longer hold allegiance to her.
And men like Dan Wirth, a vicious psychopath who is unafraid to deal with the devil in order to better his own personal position in the world.
The author creates a compelling and believable microcosm of human society on Donovan through the ways these deeply varied characters begin to interact with one another. It’s Space Opera meets Western, as intergalactic characters are suddenly stranded on solid ground and in the midst of a power vacuum.
This book helped to open my mind to more adult sci-fi and fantasy stories. While Young Adult has been my bread and butter for years, I’ve become so accustomed to the formula of those stories that it was nice getting to sink so deeply into a new world and the interpersonal drama of the adult characters living within it.
Aside from more horror, I did want a little more description for the flora and fauna of Donovan. Aside from Quetzels (which are basically velociraptor/dragon hybrids of this world) many of the other alien creatures and plant life seemed a little loosely drawn or described and thus were difficult to fathom. For example, the majority of creatures in the books have names that warn the locals what they do, but very little description for readers what they look like. Example: gotchya-vines, sidewinders, nightmares, etc.
Still, I think that the world itself will continue to get more complex over the course of the series � especially as the characters learn more about the world they’re stranded on.
All in all, this was a really unexpected delight, and a very compelling read. I find the characters particularly charming � even the ones I loved to hate. I’m excited to see how the locals on Donovan fare in future additions to this series!
★★★★ = 4 out of 5 stars!
______
Follow me on Instagram @bookbastion!
February 6, 2018
I liked it! I did! It was delightfully dark, and really a pretty great portrayal of what a fight for power might look like on a new planet. I liked most of the things about the book, so we're going to go ahead with a likes/dislikes!
Things I Liked:
New planet!! Did I mention that I liked new, uncharted planets before? Of course I did. Spoiler: I still do. And the awesome part is that the people of the new planet had to actually fight to stay alive. It makes sense, really. Imagine if you're dumped onto a world you have no knowledge of? You don't know the climate, the creatures, what is safe or unsafe, etc. There's going to be aÌýhuge learning curve, especially coming from the relative comfort of Earth. I liked that a lot. I was a little confused by some of the creatures at first, but it did become much easier to figure out. And they were pretty damn cool, tbh.
The characters were so freakingÌýbadass. Some by nature, sure, but some because the only choice was to deal with it or die. The story is told from several points of view, but Talina is our mainÌýDonovanian. And while she is a super tough woman, she has plenty of flaws that can hinder her goals. I liked that toughness and strength of spirit didn't equal perfection, not with any of the characters. Some, like Shig, anotherÌýDonovanian, were much more peace seeking. Shig was one of my faves, because he was very thoughtful- and his intelligence and wisdom was so necessary.
"Ultimately, government and hypocrisy become synonymous"
Not all the characters are awesome- in fact, some are downright horrible. But... that's life, right? I liked that there were some people who were just straight up real assholes. You know, the type for whom you assume there is no chance of redemption? Because we know these people, inÌýall societies. Some of our societies elected these people. Which leads me to the next point....
The governing of this planet? Such aÌýmess. A delightfully authentic mess. So much is relevant now, but honestly, it's always been relevant. People fighting for power, people who haveÌýno idea what they are getting themselves into throwing their hats into the ring, all in the name of control. Egos have more weight than knowledge and reason, and no one wants to give up their leadership. This is all too true on Earth, so it makes sense that it would be this way on a smaller scale on Donovan, too.
There's anotherÌýverrrryyy creepy and dark part of the story that I have no intentions on spoiling, but it is morbidly fascinating and I want to knowÌýall the things. Also, it involves space. So if that is your kind of thing, I recommend.
The atmosphere of the whole book was on point. It was bleak and hard but then there were uplifting times- not many, but enough that it made life seem worth it. The planet was fascinating, yet cutthroat, and the author did a great job of painting it as such.
What I Didn't Like:
It feltÌýlong. This is my biggest qualm, really. Like I said, I knew that it wasn't the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ-stated 336 pages, but it still took me longer than usual to finish. Not because I wasn't interested; I was. But some parts felt even slower, like the pacing was a bit off.
While I liked the characters, I would have liked to have felt a bit more connected to them, especially Talina. I think part of it was because she doesn't really letÌýanyone in, but I would have felt more for her if I felt a bigger connection.
Will I Read the Sequel: Absolutely! I need to know what happens next, and the whole space-mystery thing, andÌýeverything.
Bottom Line: Dark and gritty, this book shows both the best and worst sides of humanity, all while being emotional and thought-provoking.
*Copy provided for review
**Quote taken from uncorrected proof, subject to change
July 13, 2022
First-rate planetary adventure, in the style of the old Harry Harrison "Deathworld" books, but more plausible. Planet Donovan is the furthest out of Earth's space colonies, but it's been many years since any scheduled resupply ships from Transluna have arrived. Equipment is wearing out out, and shortages of supplies, like ammunition and pharmaceuticals, are becoming critical. Finally, a Corporate FTL ship makes it through, the first ship to arrive of the last 7 Transluna has launched....
Not really a spoiler, but the cover-art is a scene from the lost ship recovered in Donovan orbit, after it fell into a time-warp for more than a century, and all hands aboard were lost, many in grotesquely gruesome ends. Truly grim-dark, and no-one can figure out what went wrong! As you can imagine, the passengers and crew of the ship about to return to Earth are hesitating to actually re-board and leave! Many decide to desert and try their luck on Donovan. Ends at a cliff-hanger. I'll definitely be reading on, despite some Corp-Rat literary overkill in this one. Good book, recommended reading.
Not really a spoiler, but the cover-art is a scene from the lost ship recovered in Donovan orbit, after it fell into a time-warp for more than a century, and all hands aboard were lost, many in grotesquely gruesome ends. Truly grim-dark, and no-one can figure out what went wrong! As you can imagine, the passengers and crew of the ship about to return to Earth are hesitating to actually re-board and leave! Many decide to desert and try their luck on Donovan. Ends at a cliff-hanger. I'll definitely be reading on, despite some Corp-Rat literary overkill in this one. Good book, recommended reading.
June 14, 2019
About 15 years ago, I read The Spider trilogy which I remembered as being very good, kind of a space opera mixed with a jihad. Gear used a lot of historical data that was very good, IIRC. I see he's written a lot of historical fiction about North American Indians & colonization with Kathleen, who I assume is his wife.
This trilogy is about colonizing a planet that has its roots both in the invasion of NA crossed with Harrison's . The force behind the colonization is the Solar System Corporation. There are all the typical long-range colonization issues such as transport, indigenous life-forms, management, & the colonists who have been there for a long time. It's quite a ingenious blend that is furthered by a fair amount of action. No big data dumps & some very memorable characters. Few are 'good' or 'bad' even when they're butting heads with the main characters. Instead they're quite human with different objectives, beliefs, & experiences which means that sometimes it's tough to know who to root for.
Best of all, Gear doesn't pull some pretty mean punches. There's a realistic streak plus some twists that are fantastic. Add in a couple of almost magical other issues (Quantum mechanics through imaginary spaces, part of the transport issues & another that's a spoiler.) & it all adds up to a really intriguing book. While there are plenty of threads left hanging, it's also pretty well complete in itself. I do have & plan to read the next one, but the third & last was just published last year & I don't see an audiobook edition available from my library yet. I'd buy it, but only Audible seems to have it & I won't deal with them due to DRM.
Very well narrated. The lady's voice was perfect for the main character (a very tough lady) & she did a great job with the male voices as well. I'm really looking forward to the next. Highly recommended.
This trilogy is about colonizing a planet that has its roots both in the invasion of NA crossed with Harrison's . The force behind the colonization is the Solar System Corporation. There are all the typical long-range colonization issues such as transport, indigenous life-forms, management, & the colonists who have been there for a long time. It's quite a ingenious blend that is furthered by a fair amount of action. No big data dumps & some very memorable characters. Few are 'good' or 'bad' even when they're butting heads with the main characters. Instead they're quite human with different objectives, beliefs, & experiences which means that sometimes it's tough to know who to root for.
Best of all, Gear doesn't pull some pretty mean punches. There's a realistic streak plus some twists that are fantastic. Add in a couple of almost magical other issues (Quantum mechanics through imaginary spaces, part of the transport issues & another that's a spoiler.) & it all adds up to a really intriguing book. While there are plenty of threads left hanging, it's also pretty well complete in itself. I do have & plan to read the next one, but the third & last was just published last year & I don't see an audiobook edition available from my library yet. I'd buy it, but only Audible seems to have it & I won't deal with them due to DRM.
Very well narrated. The lady's voice was perfect for the main character (a very tough lady) & she did a great job with the male voices as well. I'm really looking forward to the next. Highly recommended.
March 27, 2018
This was two-thirds an epic novel. The first third, about Talina and Cap lost in the wilderness, falling in love, and fighting to stay alive was the stuff summer blockbusters are made of. It was intense and riveting. The only thing that would have been better would have been some Redshirts that could have shown us how dangerous this world was as opposed to us constantly just having to be reminded. It came to a lot of telling instead of showing with how dangerous this world is.
The next third about Freelander and the ships traveling through parallel dimensions, was the stuff of psychological thrillers. I couldn't put the book down when they were exploring Freelander and wanted so much more time on that ship and way more happening up there. Sadly, that part of the book is also the smallest part and it is over far too soon. He built a giant structure made of human bones, and then we ignored it . . .
The final third is really more of a western than a science fiction book, except the rules of the western didn't make any sense. Dan Wirth was an interesting character, but nothing he did made sense. Credits and paper money should be worthless on this world because it is being abandoned and the Corporation wont back that money any more. At least not in any meaningful way to the people trapped on Donovan. Think of it like Confederate money. It's really only value now is as collector pieces and not in any worth as money.
Similar market forces are at work with the gold, diamonds, emeralds, and whatever else the people had stashed away. If everyone has massive stashes of these precious metals and stones, then they aren't worth anything. If you can just go get more of the "priceless" metals (again, keeping in mind they have no way to get back to where these things would be valuable) they are worthless. Dan Wirth can never go back to Transluna, so having all the money doesn't make a lot sense.
This part of the book is boring because these are the things that matter here. We're no longer dealing with killer species on planets, or time travel, or even the murderer that is Dan Wirth. We're worried about market economies in a system that should be purely for bartering food, water, and other essentials.
Dan Wirth demands 10% from the counsel . . . 10% of what? This is an autonomous level of government. There isn't any money flowing through it to demand 10%. He wants a seat on the council? Go for it, this council has only gotten together to deal with Corporate, and they are now all but gone, so the council is worthless.
And why, in the name of all that is good in the world, on a planet with intelligent 15 foot invisible monsters, trees that kill people, birds that eat the 15 foot monsters, and an octopus that lives in the trees and digests people over a period of weeks. Why, with all of that going on, am I worried about who sits on the council? Why do I care that people are using worthless gold and gemstones as a money system? Why does it matter who owns the deed to some piece of property? Why is it important that people are under contract?
None of those things should matter, but they are what take up the majority of this book. A boring western about taming the west to be more like The Corporation.
The next third about Freelander and the ships traveling through parallel dimensions, was the stuff of psychological thrillers. I couldn't put the book down when they were exploring Freelander and wanted so much more time on that ship and way more happening up there. Sadly, that part of the book is also the smallest part and it is over far too soon. He built a giant structure made of human bones, and then we ignored it . . .
The final third is really more of a western than a science fiction book, except the rules of the western didn't make any sense. Dan Wirth was an interesting character, but nothing he did made sense. Credits and paper money should be worthless on this world because it is being abandoned and the Corporation wont back that money any more. At least not in any meaningful way to the people trapped on Donovan. Think of it like Confederate money. It's really only value now is as collector pieces and not in any worth as money.
Similar market forces are at work with the gold, diamonds, emeralds, and whatever else the people had stashed away. If everyone has massive stashes of these precious metals and stones, then they aren't worth anything. If you can just go get more of the "priceless" metals (again, keeping in mind they have no way to get back to where these things would be valuable) they are worthless. Dan Wirth can never go back to Transluna, so having all the money doesn't make a lot sense.
This part of the book is boring because these are the things that matter here. We're no longer dealing with killer species on planets, or time travel, or even the murderer that is Dan Wirth. We're worried about market economies in a system that should be purely for bartering food, water, and other essentials.
Dan Wirth demands 10% from the counsel . . . 10% of what? This is an autonomous level of government. There isn't any money flowing through it to demand 10%. He wants a seat on the council? Go for it, this council has only gotten together to deal with Corporate, and they are now all but gone, so the council is worthless.
And why, in the name of all that is good in the world, on a planet with intelligent 15 foot invisible monsters, trees that kill people, birds that eat the 15 foot monsters, and an octopus that lives in the trees and digests people over a period of weeks. Why, with all of that going on, am I worried about who sits on the council? Why do I care that people are using worthless gold and gemstones as a money system? Why does it matter who owns the deed to some piece of property? Why is it important that people are under contract?
None of those things should matter, but they are what take up the majority of this book. A boring western about taming the west to be more like The Corporation.
February 25, 2018
Taking place on a planet teaming with life, the colonists struggle to survive with minimal preparation, supplies and support while machinations abound, and treachery comes when and where you least expect it.
Gritty, shocking and completely unexpected. W. Michael Gear hits the nail on hits head with this riveting, dark, and brutally realistic view of what life would be on an unknown planet. 4.5 stars
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Written By: W. Michael Gear
Series: Donovan
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: DAW
Publication Date: February 20, 2018
ISBN-10: 0756413370
ISBN-13: 978-0756413378
Genre: scifi
Amazon:
Barnes & Noble:
Itunes:
For more reviews check out or find us on .
Gritty, shocking and completely unexpected. W. Michael Gear hits the nail on hits head with this riveting, dark, and brutally realistic view of what life would be on an unknown planet. 4.5 stars
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Written By: W. Michael Gear
Series: Donovan
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: DAW
Publication Date: February 20, 2018
ISBN-10: 0756413370
ISBN-13: 978-0756413378
Genre: scifi
Amazon:
Barnes & Noble:
Itunes:
For more reviews check out or find us on .
July 28, 2024
4.5 stars for this one. Action right from the start. This book has a lot going on in it. The character build up is perfect. You get to know each one with little information but enough to know them. Everybody has a different agenda, different motive in what there trying to accomplish in this new world. For it to scatter around as many characters as it did, there was not one sluggish part in this book. Can’t wait for the next one.
November 30, 2020
3.5 Stars for Outpost (Donovan #1) (audiobook) by W. Michael Gear read by Alyssa Bresnahan. I thought the story was interesting but I seemed really drawn out.
July 9, 2018
So I pretty much think the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ synopsis does a great job of introducing the players in this novel and summing up what is gone so I will spare you a lot of repetitiveness. Basically, a group of people have been stuck on Donovan for years, no one has arrived to help them, and when people finally do arrive, they threaten everything the community has built.
Gear does a wonderful job world building this planet. There are so many cool plants and "animals" on Donovan that the descriptions alone kept me intrigued. Then there are the characters. The ones you love, you really love and those you don't, well there so much fun to hate. I loved that the community who has lived on the planet for years created their own infrastructure and feel then owe nothing to The Corporation. And I love their leaders, especially Talina. She is smart, stubborn and kick-ass! She takes no prisoners and isn't afraid to do what has to be done.
This book kept me engrossed from page one. Whenever I thought I'd put it down, I always ended up reading more. There was one scene where I personally wanted to contact Gear and tell him what a mess he made of my emotions but I held back - although I'm still considering this. If you saw yesterday's post, you know that Tammy from Books, Bones & Buffy urged me to read this series and I'm forever grateful. I can't wait to see where it heads next!
If you love science fiction, then consider this book. I seriously don't think it's getting enough attention. And if you are new to the genre, so was I and look at how much I loved it!
Gear does a wonderful job world building this planet. There are so many cool plants and "animals" on Donovan that the descriptions alone kept me intrigued. Then there are the characters. The ones you love, you really love and those you don't, well there so much fun to hate. I loved that the community who has lived on the planet for years created their own infrastructure and feel then owe nothing to The Corporation. And I love their leaders, especially Talina. She is smart, stubborn and kick-ass! She takes no prisoners and isn't afraid to do what has to be done.
This book kept me engrossed from page one. Whenever I thought I'd put it down, I always ended up reading more. There was one scene where I personally wanted to contact Gear and tell him what a mess he made of my emotions but I held back - although I'm still considering this. If you saw yesterday's post, you know that Tammy from Books, Bones & Buffy urged me to read this series and I'm forever grateful. I can't wait to see where it heads next!
If you love science fiction, then consider this book. I seriously don't think it's getting enough attention. And if you are new to the genre, so was I and look at how much I loved it!
July 29, 2021
Tried to read it a few times since publication and after seeing some more glowing review of it and its sequels, finally managed to finish it but it was a slog by and large; it had occasionally its moments, but the characters didn't really work out for me, the writing was kind of mediocre and the "planet with monsters" trope has been done before in other books that I enjoyed much more (see Legacy of Heorot or Redliners for two fairly similar books in terms of setting/action/characters which were incomparably more entertaining).
Overall quite a mediocre rehash of the planet with monsters trope that is unconvincing and I would recommend staying away from this one as there is much better similar stuff out there
Overall quite a mediocre rehash of the planet with monsters trope that is unconvincing and I would recommend staying away from this one as there is much better similar stuff out there
August 3, 2018
Rating
Review
*** This review originally appeared on . ***
Outpost by W. Michael Gear is the first novel in the Donovan Trilogy. The second book, Abandoned, is slated for release in November 2018. In the interest of full disclosure, I received a copy of Outpost from the publisher via NetGalley. I’m giving Outpost a solid four rockets because it’s a fun read with some unexpected developments, some interesting characters, and one heck of a problem/mystery that serves as a nice, overarching dilemma that really drives some of the character’s decision-making. You see, no ship has arrived at the planet of Donovan in some time. Not for lack of trying, it turns out, as the inhabitants of Donovan learn once Turalon arrives in orbit. The people of Donovan, who thought they’d been abandoned, come to realize that other ships have attempted to reach Donovan, but that each attempt has resulted in the disappearance of the ship in question.
This really isn’t a problem so much as an unsolved mystery to the inhabitants of Donovan, though. They came via an Earth ship of their own many years before with the intention of settling the habitable but wild planet. Extreme circumstances called for extreme survival tactics such that once they came to realize no additional supplies were coming, the Donovanians stepped up and began to provide for themselves. They established their own government, their own laws, and staked their own claims to the land. Their system is not the rigid form of government they left behind, but one that values self-sufficiency and independent thinking. This works great up until the point when Turalon, the first Earth ship to reach Donovan in years, arrives and makes contact. Their mission to bring new settlers and supplies to the planet becomes one of suppression and control as they attempt to establish order in a society they deem as lawless.
Now this may all seem somewhat stereotypical to the point of tossing the book out the window because who hasn’t read this sort of story before, right? But Gear takes this whole thing in an entirely new and almost opposite direction from what you might expect. I won’t go into details for fear of ruining the story for you, but suffice to say some characters change allegiance, others who seemed doomed have a change of fortune and really shine, and others who you might want to meet a horrible fate embrace the new world order that is Donovan and (unfortunately) come out on top. But the story is in no way finished with this first book. Abandoned, the next book in the series, comes out soon. I plan to pick it up either via NetGalley or on my own via Amazon.
Outpost earns a solid four rockets from me. I liked the characters, the story, the planet, and the direction the author is going with all of it. It’s a good science fiction series you should add to your reading list.
Review
*** This review originally appeared on . ***
Outpost by W. Michael Gear is the first novel in the Donovan Trilogy. The second book, Abandoned, is slated for release in November 2018. In the interest of full disclosure, I received a copy of Outpost from the publisher via NetGalley. I’m giving Outpost a solid four rockets because it’s a fun read with some unexpected developments, some interesting characters, and one heck of a problem/mystery that serves as a nice, overarching dilemma that really drives some of the character’s decision-making. You see, no ship has arrived at the planet of Donovan in some time. Not for lack of trying, it turns out, as the inhabitants of Donovan learn once Turalon arrives in orbit. The people of Donovan, who thought they’d been abandoned, come to realize that other ships have attempted to reach Donovan, but that each attempt has resulted in the disappearance of the ship in question.
This really isn’t a problem so much as an unsolved mystery to the inhabitants of Donovan, though. They came via an Earth ship of their own many years before with the intention of settling the habitable but wild planet. Extreme circumstances called for extreme survival tactics such that once they came to realize no additional supplies were coming, the Donovanians stepped up and began to provide for themselves. They established their own government, their own laws, and staked their own claims to the land. Their system is not the rigid form of government they left behind, but one that values self-sufficiency and independent thinking. This works great up until the point when Turalon, the first Earth ship to reach Donovan in years, arrives and makes contact. Their mission to bring new settlers and supplies to the planet becomes one of suppression and control as they attempt to establish order in a society they deem as lawless.
Now this may all seem somewhat stereotypical to the point of tossing the book out the window because who hasn’t read this sort of story before, right? But Gear takes this whole thing in an entirely new and almost opposite direction from what you might expect. I won’t go into details for fear of ruining the story for you, but suffice to say some characters change allegiance, others who seemed doomed have a change of fortune and really shine, and others who you might want to meet a horrible fate embrace the new world order that is Donovan and (unfortunately) come out on top. But the story is in no way finished with this first book. Abandoned, the next book in the series, comes out soon. I plan to pick it up either via NetGalley or on my own via Amazon.
Outpost earns a solid four rockets from me. I liked the characters, the story, the planet, and the direction the author is going with all of it. It’s a good science fiction series you should add to your reading list.
February 8, 2021
Notes:
Nice mix of frontier style survival on an alien planet, interesting world setting & predictable conflicts. The bad guys are rather one dimensional and predictable, but that is balanced by layered characters and an exciting alien world full of dangers.
Nice mix of frontier style survival on an alien planet, interesting world setting & predictable conflicts. The bad guys are rather one dimensional and predictable, but that is balanced by layered characters and an exciting alien world full of dangers.
December 9, 2021
I'm so glad I just happened to stumble upon Outpost because I really ended up enjoying that. The author's style is right up my alley. I'll definitely have to continue this series.
June 4, 2024
Wow, I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this! There was a lot going on in this book, but it totally worked. I loved the frontiers-y setting - almost westerny (hello, Akila City??). The fight between the Donovians and the Supervisor. The strange space travel issues. And that super excellent villian! I think I will be checking out more of this series for sure.
November 13, 2021
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Seriously, in this case it can definitely be misleading.
This story is about a colony on a remote planet, where there is a wealth of natural resources. But it’s also about a failed colony. Because as rich as Donovan might be, it’s also proven to be quite deadly. The Corporation sends a spaceship to restore order in the colony but the remaining colonists are not exactly jumping with joy to give up what they now consider rightfully theirs, since they’ve been abandoned there for years. The colonists are outmanned and outgunned and they know it. But they have a plan.
As I said in the beginning, don’t judge a book by its cover. When looking at this particular cover, you might think there are a lot of horror elements in it. If you’re expecting a horror science fiction plot, you are in for quite a disappointment. The story on the cover is actually only about a minor subplot of the novel. This story is all about the people. It’s the characters that make or break this book. And while some characters are pretty intriguing, despite being a bit generic, others aren’t really. And for some reason all of them also seem to be sexually frustrated, which makes sense to a degree but can also make for a bit of a frustrating read at times.
Quite an interesting character-driven space opera. The writing is excellent, the world building is fascinating and the concept is really good. The plot starts out strong and does enough to grip the readers from start to finish. The characters however are a bit of a mixed bag to be honest. Which hurts the book as a whole, since it is at heart a character-driven story. Still, everything else is very much on point so I would recommend if you’re interested in this type of story.
This story is about a colony on a remote planet, where there is a wealth of natural resources. But it’s also about a failed colony. Because as rich as Donovan might be, it’s also proven to be quite deadly. The Corporation sends a spaceship to restore order in the colony but the remaining colonists are not exactly jumping with joy to give up what they now consider rightfully theirs, since they’ve been abandoned there for years. The colonists are outmanned and outgunned and they know it. But they have a plan.
As I said in the beginning, don’t judge a book by its cover. When looking at this particular cover, you might think there are a lot of horror elements in it. If you’re expecting a horror science fiction plot, you are in for quite a disappointment. The story on the cover is actually only about a minor subplot of the novel. This story is all about the people. It’s the characters that make or break this book. And while some characters are pretty intriguing, despite being a bit generic, others aren’t really. And for some reason all of them also seem to be sexually frustrated, which makes sense to a degree but can also make for a bit of a frustrating read at times.
Quite an interesting character-driven space opera. The writing is excellent, the world building is fascinating and the concept is really good. The plot starts out strong and does enough to grip the readers from start to finish. The characters however are a bit of a mixed bag to be honest. Which hurts the book as a whole, since it is at heart a character-driven story. Still, everything else is very much on point so I would recommend if you’re interested in this type of story.
January 4, 2019
I stopped half way through .. seriously how is anything in this book possible?
What value can money possibly have?, what value can jewels possibly have?, especially if they are so common that everyone has a stash & could go out and get more when they need some.
How does a guy march in, and within a couple of weeks on a planet with a TINY POPULATION, set up a casino where people go to lose their baubles that have no real value. These baubles having little value back in the civilised world let alone the wild west of space. Then he "beggars" the local women to become whores in the new casino or lose their homes .. WHY didn't they go out and get more gems, seems better that working on their backs ..... I won't even go into social dynamics how this tough "not stupid" group of survivors let him get away with it...
None of the financial dynamics makes the slightest sense, Nothing makes sense, the book doesn't hang together... not even for a sci-fi western.
I don't even care to wait for the ghost ship to arrive or what discoveries the couple who crashed in the wilderness discover. If a space-time portal gate opened and Wyatt Earp & the Easter Bunny stepped out, I wouldn't bat an eyelid, because this would make as much sense as the story I have read so far.
Big fail for worldbuilding ...
What value can money possibly have?, what value can jewels possibly have?, especially if they are so common that everyone has a stash & could go out and get more when they need some.
How does a guy march in, and within a couple of weeks on a planet with a TINY POPULATION, set up a casino where people go to lose their baubles that have no real value. These baubles having little value back in the civilised world let alone the wild west of space. Then he "beggars" the local women to become whores in the new casino or lose their homes .. WHY didn't they go out and get more gems, seems better that working on their backs ..... I won't even go into social dynamics how this tough "not stupid" group of survivors let him get away with it...
None of the financial dynamics makes the slightest sense, Nothing makes sense, the book doesn't hang together... not even for a sci-fi western.
I don't even care to wait for the ghost ship to arrive or what discoveries the couple who crashed in the wilderness discover. If a space-time portal gate opened and Wyatt Earp & the Easter Bunny stepped out, I wouldn't bat an eyelid, because this would make as much sense as the story I have read so far.
Big fail for worldbuilding ...
October 24, 2023
*** 3.8 STARS ***
After seeing the great cover I was ready for some science fiction horror. Unfortunately, the horror was absent, and the depiction of the cover art was barely in the book; perhaps it'll be a bigger plot thread in the rest of the series.
I also thought there were too many point-of-views in the book. I think it would have worked better if the only povs were Talina Perez and Kalico Aguila. Whilst Dan Wirth is a good character to have in a story like this, I think he would have been a much more interesting character knowing fewer details about his motivations.
Despite those cons, I enjoyed Outpost quite a bit.
The world of Donovan is very interesting with lots of great alien species that could kill anybody at any time. And I'm definitely intrigued by what happened on the Freelander, which sounded a bit like the USG Ishimura, which is the ship Dead Space (the video game) was set on.
After seeing the great cover I was ready for some science fiction horror. Unfortunately, the horror was absent, and the depiction of the cover art was barely in the book; perhaps it'll be a bigger plot thread in the rest of the series.
I also thought there were too many point-of-views in the book. I think it would have worked better if the only povs were Talina Perez and Kalico Aguila. Whilst Dan Wirth is a good character to have in a story like this, I think he would have been a much more interesting character knowing fewer details about his motivations.
Despite those cons, I enjoyed Outpost quite a bit.
The world of Donovan is very interesting with lots of great alien species that could kill anybody at any time. And I'm definitely intrigued by what happened on the Freelander, which sounded a bit like the USG Ishimura, which is the ship Dead Space (the video game) was set on.
September 25, 2021
DNF.
The premise sounds interesting, as do some of the characters. And the opening action sequence was exciting, perilous, etc. But every page or two I kept bumping into the awkward, odd, and even unsettling character descriptions. “High breasts� was an odd one, but there were also weirdly repetitive descriptions, like saying Perez has “dark eyes� but then a paragraph later clarifying that they’re “sable eyes�. And naming a plant “thorncactus� (really?) is like naming an animal “clawtiger� or “toothbeaver�. Too distracting to keep reading.
(I included a few more details in the on my website.)
February 27, 2018
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The nitty-gritty:Ìý A thrilling space adventure with danger around every corner—both alien and human. Outpost is a must read for all science fiction fans.
I had no expectations going into Outpost , since I have yet to read any fellow blogger reviews of this book, and so I was delighted at how much fun this was! Take the gritty lawlessness of the wild west, add in a splash of Avatar , a pinch of Alien , and top it off with a healthy dose of Star Trek and you have a fantastic start to a new series by veteran author W. Michael Gear. Gear’s story has all the necessary elements that I look for in my reading these days: a great mix of engaging characters, plenty of action, seriously cool world-building, and super high stakes.
Thirty years ago, a group of settlers arrived on the planet Donovan to start a new life. Attracted to its rich stores of gold and other precious stones and minerals, the plan was to start mining operations and send the booty back to Solar System. What the settlers »å¾±»å²Ô’t expect was to land on a planet full of dangerous native flora and fauna, and what started as a large group has since dwindled to only a few hundred people. It’s been six years since the last supply ship entered orbit, and the residents of Port Authority are sorely hurting for medical supplies, replacement equipment and more.
So when the Turalon appears in the skies, everyone is thrilled. There’s just one small problem: what started out as a Corporation-run city on the new planet has since disintegratedÌýinto a society where those who ³ó²¹±¹±ð²Ô’t been killed off by Donovan’s many creatures or died from accidents or illness have created their own laws, far removed from the Corporation’s strict protocols. With the arrival of Board Supervisor Kalico Aguila and her team of Corporation enforcers, Talina Perez, YvetteÌýDushane and Shig Mosadek know that the Corporation will want to impose their rule over the citizens of Port Authority, and they vow not to let that happen.
But a clash of wills is inevitable as the two groups form an uneasy alliance on the planet’s surface, and an unexpected arrival of a long-lost ship changes everyone’s future plans.
This is a hard plot to summarize, because there is a lot going on, and the cast of characters is pretty big. However, I’m not complaining when I say there is a lot going on, because I enjoyed every second of the story! I’m just going to dive in and tell you what I loved about Outpost. First of all, the characters are fantastic. One of the main characters is Talina Perez, a hardened fighter who has more or less taken over the leadership role in Port Authority. Together with Trish, Yvette and Shig, the four keep things running smoothly without having to utilize the dictatorship-like Corporation rules on the people of Donovan. The story opens with a bang, as Talina and Trish are trying to hunt down a quetzal (more about him later!) who just stole and ate someone’s baby from the compound. Talina is a superb fighter, and she’s learned to survive on Donovan by necessity, but even she has troubles with quetzals, as you’ll find out when you read this book.
Talina is thrown together with the head of security from the Turalon named Max “Cap� Taggart, and yes, they do become romantically involved. But I enjoyed their relationship and I felt like it developed organically. When we meet Cap, he firmly believes in the way the Corporation runs, but little by little, as he gets to know Talina and discovers how dangerous Donovan is, he realizes that there are better ways to live than blindly following orders.
I’ll mention a couple of other stand-out characters. One that ended up being one of my favorites, simply because she changed so much during the story, was Kalico, a ruthless woman who isn’t afraid to have people killed if they get out of line. She wants to be remembered for making her trip to Donovan a success, and she craves authority and respect from the members of her team. But when a lost ship called the Freelander suddenly appears, she starts to lose her nerve after some scary moments on the ship, and her personality changes drastically, to the point that I started to feel sorry for her.
And then there’s the “bad guy� of the story, a psychopath named Dan Wirth who is looking for a new life on Donovan after stealing someone else’s identity in order to escape the law. He’s one of the slimiest characters I’ve run across in some time, and he sees Donovan as an untapped opportunity to not only get rich, but to hold power over everyone else. I truly hated him, which means Gear did a fantastic job with his character!
And then of course, there’s the world-building. I loved the idea of a group of colonists trying to make a better life on a new planet, only to discover that the planet is trying to kill you. There are so many predators on Donovan, the best one being the quetzal, a rainbow-colored humanoid/lizard creature with rows of sharp teeth who feed on warm-blooded creatures, humans being one of their favorites. The colonists have figured out how to kill them, and they use their colorful hides to make boots and clothing (which is pretty funny because the people on the Turalon describe them as looking like circus folk!), but quetzal are still deadly, fast and cunning, and a real threat to the population. In addition to the quetzals are other dangerous creatures like gotcha vines, chokya, nightmares, sucking scrub, sidewinders and many more.
Another big part of the story involves the Freelander and the fact that the last seven ships that came to Donovan never made it back home, and no one knows what happened to them. Of course, this is freaking out everyone on the Turalon, because the chances of their ship disappearing too are fairly good. I won’t go into the reasons here, but suffice it to say that Gear brings some cool scientific explanations into the story and also creates some very creepy vibes when the crew board the Freelander to check out what’s going on.
Gear wisely forces all his characters make choices, but none of them are very good ones. They have to decide which is the lesser of two evils, and it’s a wonderful but terrible situation to put people in.
I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface, there are so many surprises for readers to discover. The only negative I can think of is that the pacing near the end felt rushed, as if the author had too many things to resolve and very little time. (And a thing happens at the end!!!!) I have so many questions that weren’t answered, but luckily this is only the beginning. Gear has set the bar high for the rest of his series, and I can hardly wait for the next installment.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
I had no expectations going into Outpost , since I have yet to read any fellow blogger reviews of this book, and so I was delighted at how much fun this was! Take the gritty lawlessness of the wild west, add in a splash of Avatar , a pinch of Alien , and top it off with a healthy dose of Star Trek and you have a fantastic start to a new series by veteran author W. Michael Gear. Gear’s story has all the necessary elements that I look for in my reading these days: a great mix of engaging characters, plenty of action, seriously cool world-building, and super high stakes.
Thirty years ago, a group of settlers arrived on the planet Donovan to start a new life. Attracted to its rich stores of gold and other precious stones and minerals, the plan was to start mining operations and send the booty back to Solar System. What the settlers »å¾±»å²Ô’t expect was to land on a planet full of dangerous native flora and fauna, and what started as a large group has since dwindled to only a few hundred people. It’s been six years since the last supply ship entered orbit, and the residents of Port Authority are sorely hurting for medical supplies, replacement equipment and more.
So when the Turalon appears in the skies, everyone is thrilled. There’s just one small problem: what started out as a Corporation-run city on the new planet has since disintegratedÌýinto a society where those who ³ó²¹±¹±ð²Ô’t been killed off by Donovan’s many creatures or died from accidents or illness have created their own laws, far removed from the Corporation’s strict protocols. With the arrival of Board Supervisor Kalico Aguila and her team of Corporation enforcers, Talina Perez, YvetteÌýDushane and Shig Mosadek know that the Corporation will want to impose their rule over the citizens of Port Authority, and they vow not to let that happen.
But a clash of wills is inevitable as the two groups form an uneasy alliance on the planet’s surface, and an unexpected arrival of a long-lost ship changes everyone’s future plans.
This is a hard plot to summarize, because there is a lot going on, and the cast of characters is pretty big. However, I’m not complaining when I say there is a lot going on, because I enjoyed every second of the story! I’m just going to dive in and tell you what I loved about Outpost. First of all, the characters are fantastic. One of the main characters is Talina Perez, a hardened fighter who has more or less taken over the leadership role in Port Authority. Together with Trish, Yvette and Shig, the four keep things running smoothly without having to utilize the dictatorship-like Corporation rules on the people of Donovan. The story opens with a bang, as Talina and Trish are trying to hunt down a quetzal (more about him later!) who just stole and ate someone’s baby from the compound. Talina is a superb fighter, and she’s learned to survive on Donovan by necessity, but even she has troubles with quetzals, as you’ll find out when you read this book.
Talina is thrown together with the head of security from the Turalon named Max “Cap� Taggart, and yes, they do become romantically involved. But I enjoyed their relationship and I felt like it developed organically. When we meet Cap, he firmly believes in the way the Corporation runs, but little by little, as he gets to know Talina and discovers how dangerous Donovan is, he realizes that there are better ways to live than blindly following orders.
I’ll mention a couple of other stand-out characters. One that ended up being one of my favorites, simply because she changed so much during the story, was Kalico, a ruthless woman who isn’t afraid to have people killed if they get out of line. She wants to be remembered for making her trip to Donovan a success, and she craves authority and respect from the members of her team. But when a lost ship called the Freelander suddenly appears, she starts to lose her nerve after some scary moments on the ship, and her personality changes drastically, to the point that I started to feel sorry for her.
And then there’s the “bad guy� of the story, a psychopath named Dan Wirth who is looking for a new life on Donovan after stealing someone else’s identity in order to escape the law. He’s one of the slimiest characters I’ve run across in some time, and he sees Donovan as an untapped opportunity to not only get rich, but to hold power over everyone else. I truly hated him, which means Gear did a fantastic job with his character!
And then of course, there’s the world-building. I loved the idea of a group of colonists trying to make a better life on a new planet, only to discover that the planet is trying to kill you. There are so many predators on Donovan, the best one being the quetzal, a rainbow-colored humanoid/lizard creature with rows of sharp teeth who feed on warm-blooded creatures, humans being one of their favorites. The colonists have figured out how to kill them, and they use their colorful hides to make boots and clothing (which is pretty funny because the people on the Turalon describe them as looking like circus folk!), but quetzal are still deadly, fast and cunning, and a real threat to the population. In addition to the quetzals are other dangerous creatures like gotcha vines, chokya, nightmares, sucking scrub, sidewinders and many more.
Another big part of the story involves the Freelander and the fact that the last seven ships that came to Donovan never made it back home, and no one knows what happened to them. Of course, this is freaking out everyone on the Turalon, because the chances of their ship disappearing too are fairly good. I won’t go into the reasons here, but suffice it to say that Gear brings some cool scientific explanations into the story and also creates some very creepy vibes when the crew board the Freelander to check out what’s going on.
Gear wisely forces all his characters make choices, but none of them are very good ones. They have to decide which is the lesser of two evils, and it’s a wonderful but terrible situation to put people in.
I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface, there are so many surprises for readers to discover. The only negative I can think of is that the pacing near the end felt rushed, as if the author had too many things to resolve and very little time. (And a thing happens at the end!!!!) I have so many questions that weren’t answered, but luckily this is only the beginning. Gear has set the bar high for the rest of his series, and I can hardly wait for the next installment.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
February 21, 2018
*Source* NetGalley
*Genre* Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Outpost, by author W. Michael Gear, is the first installment in the author's Donovan trilogy. Welcome to Donovan, where humans landed 30 years ago. It is a planet where you can make your riches if you are lucky. It is also a planet filled with life that can ruin a person's life quickly and permanently. A good description for this book would be, Deadwood meets Avatar in a gritty, action packed adventure with colonists on the fringes of survival on a dangerous frontier planet where both fauna and creatures can kill without any warning. This story consists of several main characters:
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
*Genre* Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Outpost, by author W. Michael Gear, is the first installment in the author's Donovan trilogy. Welcome to Donovan, where humans landed 30 years ago. It is a planet where you can make your riches if you are lucky. It is also a planet filled with life that can ruin a person's life quickly and permanently. A good description for this book would be, Deadwood meets Avatar in a gritty, action packed adventure with colonists on the fringes of survival on a dangerous frontier planet where both fauna and creatures can kill without any warning. This story consists of several main characters:
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
June 12, 2020
Review to Come
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.2/5
I really enjoyed this. Frontier sci-fi is my thing. Not a heavy focus on science, which I appreciate because the science goes over my head anyway. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Cons would be there's some rude and crude men that just focus on women's looks, physical attributes. I also wished that Tal and Cap's love story was developed a bit more during the start. It almost felt out of the blue lovey dovey.
I'm kinda surprised by just how much I liked this.
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.2/5
I really enjoyed this. Frontier sci-fi is my thing. Not a heavy focus on science, which I appreciate because the science goes over my head anyway. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Cons would be there's some rude and crude men that just focus on women's looks, physical attributes. I also wished that Tal and Cap's love story was developed a bit more during the start. It almost felt out of the blue lovey dovey.
I'm kinda surprised by just how much I liked this.
December 18, 2017
Publisher: Berkley
Publishing Date: February 2018
ISBN:9780756413378
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 3.0
Publishers Description: When the ship Turalon arrives in orbit, Supervisor Kalico Aguila discovers a failing colony, its government overthrown and the few remaining colonists now gone wild. Donovan offers the chance of a lifetime, one that could leave her the most powerful woman in the solar system. Or dead.
Review: Well one reviewer used the word “fantastic (x2)� and “fantastically� to describe her feelings about this novel. I would use entertaining if you like patterned story lines about characters on an alien world.
See it all starts with the main character, Talina. Hotter than a popcorn fart with “sable eyes, golden skin, ancestral features of Spanish Hidalgo* mixed with classic Maya. A daughter of Sun Gods and conquistadors. � Barfing yet? Oh and she is a deadly huntress while everyone in her “outpost�/crew pledge eternal loyalty and would die for her. Yaawwwn�..anyway she remains pivotal throughout the novel even though you want an alien to erupt out of her stomach.
And then?……it gets pretty damn good. While the setup was lamer than a horse with polio, the world building encompasses an expansive alien landscape. The political positions are based on corporate hegemony and splinter group idealism, so a clash is inevitable. The characters grow fairly well with the movement.
And then?……it gets pretty average. There is this weird blend of misogynist exchanges coupled with gritty feminism that lends a less than genuine feel to the novel. The militaristic corporate goons are kind of funny in that they go from securing perimeters and assessing threats to making a grand display via parade ground antics. Again not believable.
And then?�..it gets pretty good again. Talina and Cap crashing in the bush with deadly alien flora/fauna attempting to eat them was awesome.
And then?�..it turns to shjt. Fuggin� romance and scene expediters (he/she “growled�).
This novel had a lot going for it with a bit nonsense thrown in. It is as once fascinating and repulsive. This dichotomy perhaps echos the authorship as it seemed written by two people with slightly different approaches to prose and characterization.
I want to see Dan Wirth get eaten by a nightmare so I will get the next installment.
�*Hidalgo: Spanish nobility. Usage should be Hidalga and the referent to lineage not racial features as they were demonstrably ugly.
May 25, 2018
The colonization of distant planets is one of my favorite science fiction themes: I've always found it fascinating to observe humans react to a new, often hostile environment and having to do it on their own, because any kind of help is millions of miles away. It hearkens back to the idea of pioneers starting a journey toward the unknown, being aware of the dangers that might face them, but still feeling the need to obey that inescapable drive to move forward, to "see what's out there". One of such stories was the Heorot series by Niven and Pournelle, where the colonists found themselves face to face with terrible predators aptly named 'grendels', and I encountered a similar spirit in this novel, which enhanced my enjoyment of this well-crafted book.
Donovan is a lush, Earth-like planet rich in minerals and precious stones, a true paradise for colonists and miners, but it also possesses a dark, ruthless side, because most of its flora and fauna are deadly: in the three decades since planetfall, the first wave of settlers has dwindled down to a few hundred individuals, their life hanging on a precarious balance due in part to the heavy casualties and in part to the lack of supplies, because none of the ships sent with new people and equipment ever made it to Donovan. Items like antibiotics, for example, have run out, which means that on this planet even a banal infection can kill you.
Still, the Donovanians have learned how to cope with the situation and how to reach a sort of armed truce (where armed is indeed the key word) with the planet and its dangers, and in so doing have developed a streak of stubborn independence. Enter the Turalon, a new ship sent by the Corporation, the colony’s contractor, whose representative Kalico Aguila is determined to use the mission to further her ambitions: solving the mystery of the lost connection with this potentially lucrative settlement, and bringing it back into the Corporation's fold, will take her to the top of the corporate food chain. What Aguila discovers is that travel in space is far more dangerous than one could have imagined, and on top of that the colonists are not ready to hand back the independence they literally bought with their blood.
What passes for government on Donovan is handled by a trio of people, the most notable of them being Talina Perez, a woman toughened by hardship who, like her two other counterparts, has won the respect and faith of the other colonists by showing her aptitude for survival. It's therefore not surprising that the arrival of Aguila and her company of marines, led by the veteran Max Taggart, does not shake the community overmuch: the settlers know that before anyone can lay any claim on Donovan, they have to demonstrate their ability to survive it, to move beyond their new-arrival status (defined "soft meat" by the colonists) into the hardened shape that the planet requires.
To make things even more interesting, one of the new arrivals is a ruthless killer who boarded the Turalon with forged papers, determined to build himself a new life on Donovan � of course on the backs of his hapless victims: he proceeds to find himself a lucrative niche in the colony, doing away with any obstacle with the same ease as other indigenous predators; and as if all the above were not enough to keep readers on the edge of their seat, one of the ships bound toward Donovan, the Freelander, makes its appearance: the same kind of unexplainable anomaly that made the other ships vanish has caused the Freelander to be trapped in a sort of limbo for over a century - the crew and passengers are all dead and in the middle of the officers' mess-room looms an ominous construct of human bones�
More than the fascinating glimpses of the wondrous, dangerous beasts that prowl the surface, like the reptilian quetzals, or the treacherous flora, like a kind of predatory vine that lashes out when one least expects it, this novel finds its strength in the contrast between the new arrivals, full of notions about how to run things and follow rules, and the settlers, whose experience has taught them the hard way that they had to adapt to the planet, and not the other way around. The political and economical quandaries faced by Aguila dovetail nicely with the personality clashes between colonists and Corporation people, the latter having a hard time wrapping their minds around the laid-back kind of anarchy that has supplanted any rule still observed by the newcomers, who have not had the opportunity to learn Donovan’s harsh lessons. One of the best scenes where these differences come to the fore is the failed attempt at a trial in which Talina and her two co-rulers should be the accused and end up being the heroes of the moment, having correctly judged the mood of the audience and the weaknesses of Aguila and her enforcers: there is a delightful balance between drama and humor in this scene that mirrors the novel’s overall mood, and the opposing attitudes between the major players.
As fascinating as the background is, the characters are even more interesting: apart from Talina, who is some ass-kicking woman indeed, one we meet for the first time as she chases a dangerous quetzal, there are her co-rulers Shig and Yvette � the former often relying on some inscrutable Eastern wisdom and the latter on a more practical approach � a triumvirate based on shared experiences and mutual respect. If they remain more or less faithful to themselves in the course of the story, we can see great changes in some of the new arrivals, especially Max “Cap� Taggart and Kalico Aguila. Taggart, who starts as the epitome of the square-jawed soldier, slowly falls under the spell of Donovan (and Talina’s as well�), for the first time realizing that there is more to life than an existence structured around rules and regulations, that the freedom he enjoys on the planet, despite or maybe because of the dangers he faces, is what he wants and maybe always wanted. In a sense, Taggart “turns native�, and this causes him no end of grief from his former comrades who are unable to look at Donovan with the same eyes. Kalico Aguila seems to be the perfect corporate drone, living only for advancement and power, and it will take the hard reality of Donovan and the fear engendered by the returning Freelander to steer her goals in a different way.
As the first book in a trilogy, Outpost does a good work of laying down the premises for the story and manages it while telling a compelling, multi-faceted tale full of twists and turns � some of them quite unexpected, like a development that caught me by surprise toward the end � but it leaves a good number of unanswered questions for the next installments: I can’t wait to see what this dangerous, mysterious planet still has in store for me�
Originally posted at
Donovan is a lush, Earth-like planet rich in minerals and precious stones, a true paradise for colonists and miners, but it also possesses a dark, ruthless side, because most of its flora and fauna are deadly: in the three decades since planetfall, the first wave of settlers has dwindled down to a few hundred individuals, their life hanging on a precarious balance due in part to the heavy casualties and in part to the lack of supplies, because none of the ships sent with new people and equipment ever made it to Donovan. Items like antibiotics, for example, have run out, which means that on this planet even a banal infection can kill you.
Still, the Donovanians have learned how to cope with the situation and how to reach a sort of armed truce (where armed is indeed the key word) with the planet and its dangers, and in so doing have developed a streak of stubborn independence. Enter the Turalon, a new ship sent by the Corporation, the colony’s contractor, whose representative Kalico Aguila is determined to use the mission to further her ambitions: solving the mystery of the lost connection with this potentially lucrative settlement, and bringing it back into the Corporation's fold, will take her to the top of the corporate food chain. What Aguila discovers is that travel in space is far more dangerous than one could have imagined, and on top of that the colonists are not ready to hand back the independence they literally bought with their blood.
What passes for government on Donovan is handled by a trio of people, the most notable of them being Talina Perez, a woman toughened by hardship who, like her two other counterparts, has won the respect and faith of the other colonists by showing her aptitude for survival. It's therefore not surprising that the arrival of Aguila and her company of marines, led by the veteran Max Taggart, does not shake the community overmuch: the settlers know that before anyone can lay any claim on Donovan, they have to demonstrate their ability to survive it, to move beyond their new-arrival status (defined "soft meat" by the colonists) into the hardened shape that the planet requires.
To make things even more interesting, one of the new arrivals is a ruthless killer who boarded the Turalon with forged papers, determined to build himself a new life on Donovan � of course on the backs of his hapless victims: he proceeds to find himself a lucrative niche in the colony, doing away with any obstacle with the same ease as other indigenous predators; and as if all the above were not enough to keep readers on the edge of their seat, one of the ships bound toward Donovan, the Freelander, makes its appearance: the same kind of unexplainable anomaly that made the other ships vanish has caused the Freelander to be trapped in a sort of limbo for over a century - the crew and passengers are all dead and in the middle of the officers' mess-room looms an ominous construct of human bones�
More than the fascinating glimpses of the wondrous, dangerous beasts that prowl the surface, like the reptilian quetzals, or the treacherous flora, like a kind of predatory vine that lashes out when one least expects it, this novel finds its strength in the contrast between the new arrivals, full of notions about how to run things and follow rules, and the settlers, whose experience has taught them the hard way that they had to adapt to the planet, and not the other way around. The political and economical quandaries faced by Aguila dovetail nicely with the personality clashes between colonists and Corporation people, the latter having a hard time wrapping their minds around the laid-back kind of anarchy that has supplanted any rule still observed by the newcomers, who have not had the opportunity to learn Donovan’s harsh lessons. One of the best scenes where these differences come to the fore is the failed attempt at a trial in which Talina and her two co-rulers should be the accused and end up being the heroes of the moment, having correctly judged the mood of the audience and the weaknesses of Aguila and her enforcers: there is a delightful balance between drama and humor in this scene that mirrors the novel’s overall mood, and the opposing attitudes between the major players.
As fascinating as the background is, the characters are even more interesting: apart from Talina, who is some ass-kicking woman indeed, one we meet for the first time as she chases a dangerous quetzal, there are her co-rulers Shig and Yvette � the former often relying on some inscrutable Eastern wisdom and the latter on a more practical approach � a triumvirate based on shared experiences and mutual respect. If they remain more or less faithful to themselves in the course of the story, we can see great changes in some of the new arrivals, especially Max “Cap� Taggart and Kalico Aguila. Taggart, who starts as the epitome of the square-jawed soldier, slowly falls under the spell of Donovan (and Talina’s as well�), for the first time realizing that there is more to life than an existence structured around rules and regulations, that the freedom he enjoys on the planet, despite or maybe because of the dangers he faces, is what he wants and maybe always wanted. In a sense, Taggart “turns native�, and this causes him no end of grief from his former comrades who are unable to look at Donovan with the same eyes. Kalico Aguila seems to be the perfect corporate drone, living only for advancement and power, and it will take the hard reality of Donovan and the fear engendered by the returning Freelander to steer her goals in a different way.
As the first book in a trilogy, Outpost does a good work of laying down the premises for the story and manages it while telling a compelling, multi-faceted tale full of twists and turns � some of them quite unexpected, like a development that caught me by surprise toward the end � but it leaves a good number of unanswered questions for the next installments: I can’t wait to see what this dangerous, mysterious planet still has in store for me�
Originally posted at
November 15, 2018
I mostly enjoyed this book. I think it could have benefited from another round with an editor (lots of missing commas and a few typesetting errors), and maybe a few more beta readers. I did not need to be reminded of how smoking hot every one of the female characters was every time we changed perspectives for the first half of the book. I get it. They're hot. There was also a little bit of fetishization going on with the "Mayan" lead.
Characters randomly switched back to using "freak" and "freaking" after dropping the f-bomb? One of the characters described a dude's naked butt as "muscular buttocks." Who says buttocks anymore? Especially people that swear a ton.
My main gripe is something that I didn't see mentioned in the other reviews, and I'm a little disappointed in people. There should be a big content warning for this book: graphic description of child sexual abuse. Seriously graphic. Some spoiler-ish bits (but only spoiler in the sense of who it is) The fact that the author included it for no reason and handled it so poorly is a main reason that I won't be reading any others in the series.
The book was fairly entertaining, and the worldbuilding was solid as mentioned by other reviewers. Between the fetishization of Talina and the weird "mystical Asian" BS we've got going on with Shig (seriously, not all Asian people talk in riddles about the mysteries of the world and discuss Buddhism all the time), I'm not willing to overlook the sexual abuse fiasco.
Perhaps Gear should invest in some sensitivity readers?
Characters randomly switched back to using "freak" and "freaking" after dropping the f-bomb? One of the characters described a dude's naked butt as "muscular buttocks." Who says buttocks anymore? Especially people that swear a ton.
My main gripe is something that I didn't see mentioned in the other reviews, and I'm a little disappointed in people. There should be a big content warning for this book: graphic description of child sexual abuse. Seriously graphic. Some spoiler-ish bits (but only spoiler in the sense of who it is) The fact that the author included it for no reason and handled it so poorly is a main reason that I won't be reading any others in the series.
The book was fairly entertaining, and the worldbuilding was solid as mentioned by other reviewers. Between the fetishization of Talina and the weird "mystical Asian" BS we've got going on with Shig (seriously, not all Asian people talk in riddles about the mysteries of the world and discuss Buddhism all the time), I'm not willing to overlook the sexual abuse fiasco.
Perhaps Gear should invest in some sensitivity readers?
July 4, 2018
I’m going to confess sci-fi is not a genre that has ever interested me, well except on the big screen. However when one of my favorite authors writes a sci-fi book, I had to give it try. OUTPOST by W. Michael Gear was an interesting read for me and I was surprised how much I enjoyed my first sci-fi book.
My first initial impression of OUTPOST was space meets the wild frontier. There’s technology, spaceships, but the world of Donovan had a wild west feel, especially after the Turalon arrives with its crew. Gear’s world building was vivid and interesting, and I loved the different species he populates this dangerous world with. What really drew me in were the complex characters he created. My favorite was Talina Perez: tough, commanding, charismatic, a leader, and survivor. Then there’s Dan Wirth, and this sentence out of the book describes who he is so well: Blood—he’d learned by the time he was sixteen—washed off with soap and water. You’ll learn to hate him. Throw in the torn between duty and self discovery Captain Max Taggert, the power hungry Supervisor Kalico Aguila, and you have one serious clash of personalities. One of my favorite parts of the story is what Talina’s blood possesses, it was fascinating and yet creepy in way. I can’t wait to see how it develops in the future books.
OUTPOST had a little of everything in it which made me a happy reader: kick ass heroine, action, a dangerous world filled with creatures and plants that kill, power shifts, the constant choices of choosing between the lesser of two evils, and a dash of Mayan mythology thrown it.
My first initial impression of OUTPOST was space meets the wild frontier. There’s technology, spaceships, but the world of Donovan had a wild west feel, especially after the Turalon arrives with its crew. Gear’s world building was vivid and interesting, and I loved the different species he populates this dangerous world with. What really drew me in were the complex characters he created. My favorite was Talina Perez: tough, commanding, charismatic, a leader, and survivor. Then there’s Dan Wirth, and this sentence out of the book describes who he is so well: Blood—he’d learned by the time he was sixteen—washed off with soap and water. You’ll learn to hate him. Throw in the torn between duty and self discovery Captain Max Taggert, the power hungry Supervisor Kalico Aguila, and you have one serious clash of personalities. One of my favorite parts of the story is what Talina’s blood possesses, it was fascinating and yet creepy in way. I can’t wait to see how it develops in the future books.
OUTPOST had a little of everything in it which made me a happy reader: kick ass heroine, action, a dangerous world filled with creatures and plants that kill, power shifts, the constant choices of choosing between the lesser of two evils, and a dash of Mayan mythology thrown it.
July 18, 2018
This was the most generic sci-fi I have read all year.
You know the plot already.
You do.
A space colonization they haven't heard back from, they go out to investigate after years and nothing is what they thought. MmmmHmmmm. Creatures. Etc. I felt disconnected from the 10 different characters because the perspective switched just enough to keep it interesting but didn't stay long enough to develop past their stereotypes.
I feel like the planet name Donovan is telling enough: Generic.
Skip it.
You know the plot already.
You do.
A space colonization they haven't heard back from, they go out to investigate after years and nothing is what they thought. MmmmHmmmm. Creatures. Etc. I felt disconnected from the 10 different characters because the perspective switched just enough to keep it interesting but didn't stay long enough to develop past their stereotypes.
I feel like the planet name Donovan is telling enough: Generic.
Skip it.
September 17, 2019
This is good, solid, old-fashioned Science Fiction. An alien planet, colonists struggling to survive in it and a dominant corporation trying to exploit it. The alien planet is deadly, the colonists think that they have become worldly-wise and the company naively thinks it can just walk in and rule the roost... boy are they both mistaken. And then the spanner in the works... an overdue supply ship arrives - and all is not well.
I found the book exciting, even thrilling. The storyline is simple and gripping. I couldn't put it down and ended up wanting more. What more can anyone ask for?
I found the book exciting, even thrilling. The storyline is simple and gripping. I couldn't put it down and ended up wanting more. What more can anyone ask for?
March 27, 2019
Donovan, a planet that will grind you down, takes its toll on the original colonists as well as the new spaceship arrivals.
3.5 stars
This is definitely a quick read - it's packed with action and constant danger. It's an interesting read: I enjoyed seeing how colonists would deal with a planet where they are perhaps not the top predator and there are lots of deadly 'little' predators as well. The part that caught my interest the most is the fate of those on the lost ship (inverted through space to return home but returned to Donovan with more than a hundred years gone by) that had become home to a death cult. This apparently doesn't play much of a role in the second book, and in the end I didn't care enough about the characters to commit to reading the sequel.
If you like the idea of colonists on a deadly planet, give "The Legacy of Heorot" by Niven, Barnes, and Pournelle a try (that one I liked enough to read the sequel!).
3.5 stars
This is definitely a quick read - it's packed with action and constant danger. It's an interesting read: I enjoyed seeing how colonists would deal with a planet where they are perhaps not the top predator and there are lots of deadly 'little' predators as well. The part that caught my interest the most is the fate of those on the lost ship (inverted through space to return home but returned to Donovan with more than a hundred years gone by) that had become home to a death cult. This apparently doesn't play much of a role in the second book, and in the end I didn't care enough about the characters to commit to reading the sequel.
If you like the idea of colonists on a deadly planet, give "The Legacy of Heorot" by Niven, Barnes, and Pournelle a try (that one I liked enough to read the sequel!).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.