I loved The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton!
It's actually the third book I've read by the author, and I enjoyed it just as much as I've enjoyed their other books. They are definitely becoming a favourite sci-fi author of mine!
The writing was just as great as always, and the story was just so much fun, I couldn't put the book down!

It was really funny at times, and the book had great pacing.
The characters were definitely the best part of the book, which was not a huge surprise as I always find myself loving the characters that Edward Ashton writes!
I'm so excited to see what they write next!
All in all, this is definitely a booki highly recommend, especially to anyone looking for a fun sci-fi read!

The Fourth Consort is another hit from Edward Ashton! I absolutely love the humour that Ashton injects into his books; it’s never enough that it overwhelms the story, but it gives everything a little flair that really works for me. As for the story, our main character, Dalton Greaves, is tasked with making first contact with an alien species. But no matter how hard Dalton tries, he keeps making the situation worse.

I thought the characters in this story really shone. Dalton is the exact kind of protagonist I expect from Ashton—he’s funny and self-deprecating, but also has a few skills up his sleeve. But it was Breaker, the AI translator, and Bob and Randall who really stole the show for me—they were all hilarious and interesting in their own ways. Along with loving the characters, I also really enjoyed the focus on alien cultures clashing and the miscommunication that can arise from that—even when everyone is trying their best.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the arc. This one simply didn’t work for me. I read almost halfway, with no notes because I simply didn’t care. Unfortunately, if I put this book down I wouldn’t have picked it back up, 3 stars

A fascinating read, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I've been a fan of this author's earlier sci-fi works, and was intrigued to see where this new story would take him.
There was a touch of the Mickey-7 in the character, which I was pleased to see, but maybe that was just the appeal to me of very slightly humorous and sarcastic self-deprecation. Maybe this author should be an honorary Englishman?
However, it was a quite different read, where the main protagonist, although also rather expendable, seems to get himself into further trouble, however much he tries not to.
Some nice twists, a few great characters, and very interesting take on the kind of aliens that could be encountered. Gives me the shivers.

I was very glad that I chose this book based on the author, and without having read the blurb on NetGalley. Having read it just before reviewing, I did rather feel it gives away one of the main thrusts of the novel, and hope it will not be repeated on the main publishing sites in due course!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Rebellion for the ARC of The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton.

This is my third Ashton novel, and, once again, his signature brand of humor shines through every interaction, both in actual text and in descriptive subtext.

In The Fourth Consort, Dalton Greaves is the muscle/first contact lead on a spaceship of 3 - Dalton, fellow human Neera, and the massive snail Boreau. They work for a company called Unity run by Boreau's species, and Dalton has been told their mission is peace to undiscovered worlds and universe wide collaboration. Dalton finds this mission to be untrue in his third year on the team after he attempts to make first contact with the minarchs, only to find the Assembly, a competitor organization that truly is working for the good of the universe, has gotten there first. Though it is never fully explained, Boreau opts to obliterate the Assembly ship while Dalton, the ship scientist Neera, and Breaker, the one Assembly representative, are planetside, leaving all of them stranded until further help can arrive. The Fourth Consort is the story of how Dalton survives until more help arrives, navigating two different species who believe humans to be duplicitous prey animals not worthy of survival, and trying to convince them both that humans, and Unity, are the side they should choose. This draws him into the center of the minarch leadership political machinations in hilarious and horrifying ways he never could have predicted.

I will say, to any on the fence readers, I think Ashton's works are great in print, but they EXCEL in audio. I listened to Mal Goes to War while shoveling after a massive snowstorm, and was laughing outloud even when the story seemed bleak because of the way the narrator was able to verbalize and emphasize his writing. I didn't get to listen to The Fourth Consort, but my guess is that Breaker and the Counselor and each of the other characters would have been hilariously funny in their interactions / cultural confusion with Dalton.

I took off one star because the amount of flashbacks were a lot - I see what Ashton was trying to do with them, but given how short the story already is and how about 1/4 of the plot is devoted to flashbacks, it ended up feeling like maybe they could have been brought to the forefront by Dalton in different ways that were more powerful.

I really enjoyed the hopeful ending - Ashton has a gift of letting situations be dire, but still allowing humor and hope to shine through in the hypocrisy, miscommunications, and general disaster of the worlds where his books take place. It makes his books feel like snarky, cozy friends.

I had enjoyed Mickey7 from Edward Ashton and was excited to read the next book in this series. The concept worked well in this universe and was everything that I wanted in the genre. It had that feel that I was looking for and enjoyed getting to read this. It had that element that I wanted from Edward Ashton’s writing and was glad I read this.

Edward Ashton’s The Fourth Consort is a remarkable addition to the first-contact science fiction genre, delving into the intricate realms of language, culture, and the inevitable miscommunications that arise when two vastly different civilizations collide. I absolutely loved this book! Ashton, known for his sharp wit and compelling storytelling in Mickey7, has once again crafted a world that feels immersive and thought-provoking.
In The Fourth Consort, humanity encounters an alien species so different from our own that even their ways of thinking are almost incomprehensible. Ashton masterfully illustrates how difficult (and often absurdly frustrating) true communication can be, especially when there is no shared cultural context. Ashton’s use of misunderstandings and mistranslations cleverly highlights how language is not just words but a vast cultural web that shapes how we see the world—and each other.
One of the most compelling aspects of the story is how Ashton tackles the common tropes in first-contact stories with a fresh perspective. Instead of relying on standard science fiction stereotypes, Ashton digs deeper into what happens when both sides genuinely strive to understand one another, even when faced with what seems like insurmountable differences. The story is as much about what it means to be human as it is about the aliens themselves, and that makes it resonate on a profound level.
Speaking of Mickey7, fans of that novel (like me!) will be thrilled to know that Ashton’s knack for blending action, humour, and philosophical musings continues here. After Mickey7 was picked up for a movie, I'm even more excited to see how his unique storytelling style will translate to the screen, as this book feels cinematic in scope and richly layered in themes.
Overall, The Fourth Consort is a must-read for science fiction lovers, especially those interested in stories of first contact that explore language, culture, and the inherent messiness of trying to understand the unfamiliar. Ashton’s thoughtful exploration of communication and culture clash is as entertaining as it is enlightening. Highly recommended!