Member Reviews
Actual Rating: 2.5/5 stars
I’ve been on a “cerebral-sci-fi-kick” for a few months now, so when this independently published novel’s synopsis came to my attention, I immediately felt like it might just scratch that itch. Although I was fascinated and by the themes and ideas explored here, I was ultimately left with mixed feelings overall.
The Story:
We follow Clay, an economics professor whom rationally centered life is uprooted by the passing of his wife Karla, by her own hand. Karla, equally filled with scientific curiosity as himself, has taken an elusive drug called Dying Wish, which supposedly reveals the nature of reality moments before it claims your life. This loss drives Clay on a quest for answers. A quest that will eventually lead him to the deepest recesses of space, and his own memory alike…
What I loved:
Our story is told in three parts, and throughout the first part I was utterly engrossed. We are introduced to Karla and Clay, as well as the world and the themes that will be explored throughout. Without going into full-spoilers; this book dives heavily into the philosophical and cerebral side of science fiction. There are no gun-blazing space-battles here. Instead, we’re quickly entrapped in a web of multiverses, parallel realities and the concept of “quantum immortality”. The set-up is fascinating and hooked me in. Unfortunately, the story didn’t fully fulfill the promise of its premise.
What I didn’t love:
In the second part, we find Clay as one of the few survivors of a hibernation-failure aboard a space-vessel; his only companion being an AI that prompts him to question everything he thinks he knows. The interactions between the AI and Clay are supposed to feel philosophical, but due to the way they’re written, felt extremely flat and tedious to me. I honestly lost a lot of steam throughout this second part and had to push myself to keep reading, hoping for a satisfying ending. That only partially delivered…
Overall, this novel does a great job of asking questions, and a rather poor one at answering any of them. That might be by design, but I’m not sure Colossus pulled it off. Often, leaving unanswered questions only works if the story convinced me enough that the author knows the answers, but deliberately choses to withhold them from the reader. In this case, I wasn’t convinced the author knew that himself…
Additionally, it didn’t help that the author tried to cram in so many classic sci-fi themes into one story. Sentient AI’s, quantum theory, the multiverse, space travel and its effects on the mind, pharmaceuticals, immortality and so much more all make a brief appearance. Every new element subtracted from the strength and coherence of it all, rather than adding to it. I’d have preferred if the author had chosen a single topic to explore in depth, rather than skimming over so many briefly.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I finished it, and almost enjoyed it, but at the end of the day I can't get over the fact that the primary driver of the story is an older male professor getting sexually involved with a student. Reader, what a choice this author made. I mean, at least make it a former student--it wouldn't have made a difference and would have been way less gross. Every scene the author wrote with the young woman just read like it was meant to justify the wildly inappropriate "romance" that was apparently foundational to the plot. Presumably Leslie himself isn't a creep, and I enjoyed his prose enough to try another novel down the line, but yeesh...what a choice to make.
Ryan Leslie gives us Colossus (2024) , a sci-fi epic about economics professor Clay who is aboard the spaceship called Child in the Dark. He is initially alone, with only the AI Justine to keep him company. The rest of the crew, brought along at the behest of the illustrious Gabriel Alvarez, has been placed into suspension pods to keep them alive on the long journey to wherever it is they are headed. Suffice it to say, that place isn’t simply Earth.
Clay has a very specific reason for taking this journey— the promise of seeing his beloved girlfriend Karla once again. An illicit drug called Dying Wish has upset the balance of traditional (recreational) drug use among the same students that Clay taught every day. Karla, it seems, was one of them. We get several flashbacks to Clay having first noticed Karla in one of his many classes. We get scenes of their courtship. Karla is an ethereal sort of girl, just as smart as her former professor, and they definitely click in an intellectual sense.
Ryan Leslie’s book asks of the reader: What, in fact, is the nature of consciousness? What is this state called “reality” which we seem to (at times begrudgingly) exist in? And how would it be possible to alter that reality, to repossess once again things and people we have lost?
Leslie’s book is at times rather dry and dull (overly descriptive scenes about science, such as parallel universes and quantum mechanics) sometimes emotionally moving (the loss of a loved one), and other times creepy (being in deep space with only your (potentially) mentally unstable crew mates and the Artificial Intelligence for company).
The atmosphere depicted within was well crafted. You can tell Leslie really cared about his subject matter, though at times the book sort of lost me with all the science-heavy theories and other little bits. Colossus is, ultimately, a story about people, and how they react in difficult situations—rather than a treatise about the future of technology and space travel. The book is competently constructed and the characters were memorable, particularly Justine, as she was almost the comic relief character in this one. I would certainly read anything else this author writes next.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a NetGalley ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!
Science fiction is a genre I’m trying to read more of, but at the same time it’s not totally unusual for me to pick a few up each year. Based on the synopsis for Colossus, I figured this would be one that I’d enjoy, and I was right! I didn’t find the science in this to be confusing, but admittedly I didn’t fully understand it either and took it at face value. The premise of multiple dimensions / multiverse and AI elements of this book were really intriguing. It has a dark, sort of dystopian feel throughout which I also enjoyed. Some of the characters are really strange (looking at you, Lisa) but it added interest and humanity to otherwise less important secondary characters. My only hang up was the pacing of the plot, especially around 40-50% starts to feel a little slow and difficult to get through, whereas usually that’s the point in a novel where things are really taking off. Most of the action happens at the start and end of this book. Overall a great read, and something I’ll definitely point the sci-fi lovers in my life toward.
Did not finish @ 61%. I had high such hopes for this after loving The Between by the same author, but it's a complete let down.
It's divided into three parts. The plot doesn't really go anywhere in the first section. I enjoyed certain bits the middle section - particularly the characters of Lisa and Julian, which is why I've given it 2 stars - but by the time I got to the third part of the book, I was over it, frustrated and bored.
I'm still really looking forward to the sequel of The Between even after this dud. Leslie is fantastic at writing funny and entertaining dialogue but this "serious" sci-fi is a total miss.
Normally books take me anywhere from a day to a week to finish, but this one….woof. Nearly a month later and I was still struggling.
I wanted to like this based on the synopsis. I wanted to like what this author was trying to accomplish for the doomed ship in space genre.
Clay is a character that is hard to get behind: obsessed with a past lover, self-centered, a drunk, and wholly unsuited to an excursion into space as a former economics professor. There’s a lot of back and forth between his current predicament and flashbacks to his tenure as a professor that, to me, didn’t really add much to the narrative other than as an excuse to fill pages.
Without giving away any huge spoilers, the fact that I was bored to near tears while the Big Bad action sequences were in full swing because the characters were so damn unlikeable….it’s a no from me, dawg.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for a fair review.
Thank you Netgally, Ryan Leslie for letting me review an ARC of Colossus.
I went into this book excited as deep space thrillers and horror are my weakness. The premise and the blurb about the book seem pretty straight forward and could be creepy. I will say I enjoyed the first part of this book at times it got a bit confusing for me and a little over my head. I really wanted to enjoy this book and some of it I did just not all of it.
I liked this book but it was not my type I could see the author has put a lot of hard work into this title and I wish them the best of luck for their launch!!
I might have found this book more interesting, if I was into things like quantum immortality, computer programming, and alternate realities. For me, the scientific details were a slog to get through.
I also found Clay’s obsession with Karla distracting and a bit odd, considering they had only dated for three months.
I could have done without the descriptions of characters urinating.
I did find the AI aspect kind of interesting! Especially Justine.
At some points, I thought I was going to get too bogged down in the "science" part of this science fiction, but there was enough plot to keep it moving forward at a good pace for me.
I really want to give this book 4 stars, it was creative, interesting and made me think..
However, *slight spoiler* - - -
I really didn't love that the overarching love story, the whole point of everything, started as a professor/student romance... I get that it's written in a way that she was the pursuer.. But it still just felt kind of gross..
Unfortunately, I'm putting this one down at about 20%. While the idea itself is intriguing, ultimately, I've just found that the book itself feels too formulaic when compared to the other sci-fi/horror style novels I've read over the years, where people wake up after a slumber and things are not what they seem. I was curious when I started this, but now, I simply can't bring myself to return to the book and I no longer care to find out what happens.
"Colossus" is a refreshingly creative take on hard science fiction. It follows the adventures of Clay West, an economics professor who finds himself thrust into a long-distance space expedition.
The book offers compelling characters, a vivid setting, and a thought-provoking exploration of life, death, fate, and technology. At times, the scientific details are hard to follow, but that didn't detract from the experience.
All in all, this book is a must-read for sci-fi fans, and with its philosophical themes, would make a great choice for a book club.
Thank you Netgalley and Parliament House Press for sending me an advance copy of this book for review consideration.
I liked the overall story, a mysterious space ship trying to start fresh and the story of who’s on it, but some parts were a chore to read. The three scientists we learned about through reading a journal that was so full of weird jargon I really had to force myself through.
sadly, I did not like this one very much. I was drawn in by the comparison to The Gone World, one of my favorite books of all time, but The Gone World it ain't. I do think this book had some really thrilling moments, especially in the last third or so, but where it failed for me was the lack of character work. I did not care about any of these characters, from the lead to the supporting characters who were basically just names + maybe one personality quirk to, oh my god, the supposedly epic romance at the center of this book. I think that's where this book really fell apart. Karla is such a non-character I kept expecting a big twist that would tie her and Clay's "love" into the bigger picture, but... nope.
add in the fact that this book is divided into thirds, and the middle third is a bunch of honestly unnecessary, rambling backstory, and yeah. not exactly awful, especially since the pacing is pretty good, but not for me.
I received this DRC from NetGalley.
I liked the first section. The story was interesting, and had some Sci fi elements. (This was the Six Wakes- esque part of the book.) The second section was kind of a slog... and then later sections turn into some nonsensical stuff plus some horror? The premise was interesting, but I think it all got lost somewhere along the way.
An intense and weird sci-fi psychological thriller that takes you beyond death and into the stars. I really have to process how I feel, or maybe I don’t …
I expected dark, scary environments combined with interesting AI from the blurb and cover - hey, I’m a sucker for a good cover, what can I say? Colossus delivered on both.
Clay, a disgraced former economics professor, finds himself hurtling through space aboard the vessel Child in the Dark after his girlfriend takes Dying Wish, a drug that reveals everything, everywhere right before killing you. He’s awakened before the rest of the crew - but before long, the ship starts to malfunction, and he is joined by others before their anticipated arrival. And why are they on this ship, again?
The sci-fi environments were vividly described and terrifying to explore with main character Clay. It felt cold and alien exploring Child in the Dark. Flashbacks to Clay’s past didn’t have that same chill of space to them, but they helped to propel the story and gave me time to start putting the puzzle at the center of this book together. The second act of the book is a deep dive into the workings of this universe, but after the fast-paced first act, it took a bit of adjustment to the slower speed here. Stick with it - it starts to come together before long. I would have loved a little more delving into the mechanics of this universe, but overall the story was cohesive and enjoyable. I found my hunches about the book to be right about as often as they were wrong, and it was fun to see some expected tropes foiled.
Science fiction sometimes suffers from unrealistic dialog, but I found the dry humor of this book to be just my speed. I found myself chuckling several times at the behavior of the under-pressure crew and the AIs.
Overall, an enjoyable SF/Horror read, though I thought it leaned more sci fi than horror. If you’re reading for that ongoing sense of foreboding and enjoy being in the dark while you scramble to piece the story together, this is a great pick.
I don't usually read Sci-Fi but if all are written as well as this i will def read more of the genre.
The book has all the things in this novel - deep space, self aware als, fringe science. This was written to where it kept me engaged and not wanting the story to end. The characters are easy to follow for someone that doesnt read alot of Sci Fi so that is a plus.
i was so glad it was very easy to follow.
Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.
thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for a review!
this book took me a hot minute to read just because of how much stuff was going on---science, quantum physics, guys stuck on a ship---but i think i understood most of it in the end!. the prevailing sentiment of reviewers seems to be a dislike of the estaban section, wishing for more of the clay sections, but I actually disagree. i think the esteban section was the most interesting just because it explained things, and even though the science was obviously impossible the lines of reasoning seemed real and understandable. the first and last thirds of the book were distinctly within the thriller genre, while esteban's segment was very very sci fi :)
don't get me wrong, i didn't LIKE esteban (its pretty hard to like anyone a lot in this book, they all have their bad sides and good sides) but the ent team was fascinating to me all around. and also oberon was very scary at the end but i liked his narration it was goofy
fun science fiction thriller that i wish had more science because the science that WAS there was really really awesome!
'Colossus' starts in a way that immediately drags you into the story. Clay’s waking up on a space ship, far away from Earth. While he’s trying to figure out his whereabouts, the story gets intertwined with flashbacks from around 100 years before (close to our current time), it’s all working very well together to keep the reader’s attention. It’s not the first book I read in which someone wakes up like this, on a far away starship, seemingly all alone, but the story line is laid out nicely and kept me curious. Clay’s presence on the ship is one part of the story, the Dying Wish drug is another one. Both parts of the story are mysterious enough to keep a reader’s attention, and descriptive parts and dialogue are all well written. Justine, the ship’s AI, has a nice sense of humour on top of that.
In no time the first of three parts is over. Starting from the second part, the pace drops. The second part is one big flashback which basically explains a lot of things. Was the extensive explanation needed for the story? I don’t know. Some of it certainly, but maybe it was a little bit too much. I found myself bored at times here.
Last part, with the reader now knowing much of what there is to know, and we are back on the ship. We have a totally different understanding of what has happened and what is happening, and it is clear now that the author has done a good job stretching the possibilities of story telling in an environment full of multiverses, quantum mechanics and AIs. Although the third part was weird and chaotic at times, and drags on a little bit, it explored and incorporated several interesting ideas and seemed to go towards a certain (expected) ending. But it’s a bumpy road and it remains unclear for a long time whether the protagonists will eventually get where they want to be. It's nice that the tension is kept until the end.
I still don’t know what to make of the end though. I don’t even know if I understand it. The physics used in the book is clear to me, but I failed to form a solid idea of how the story actually ends. I don’t like fuzzy or open endings. In this case I don’t even know which of these two types of ending it is. Bummer. 3.5 stars.
(Thank you Netgalley and publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.)