Severence is one of those quirky, funny science fiction stories. Set in the future on a generation ship where humanity has been living for 240 years, hurtling towards a new planet to inhabit, Severance is really a cleverly disguised multi-level murder mystery wrapped around conspiracy plots.

Ultimately I enjoyed Severance and while it was hard for me to connect with the story, I thought it was very inventive. There were good plot twists and enough intrigue to keep up my interest. I did enjoy the 'Previously' sections in between chapters because it was like a separate mystery that tied into the entire mystery at the end (that made sense in my head).

The protagonist, Laura Stein, is a great strong female lead and was really just one of the guys, drinking beer and not committing to any relationships. The best character was Bruce, Laura's best friend and thief extraordinaire, with his crazy banter and love for stun gunning security guys in the face or crotch (even after the eighth time it happened, I was still laughing). I think he's going to be a favourite to all readers.

Severance fell under my 'Guy Sci Fi' category which is not a bad place in my grand scheme of categories. It just means that this may be enjoyed more by those looking for a fun space romp. It did have some serious moments but all in all was more humorous and fun. ( )

I loved this book for two reasons: It gave the first character-scale examination of the inevitable dramas aboard a generation ship that I've ever encountered, and it had truly hilarious dialog, similar to James S. A. Corey's "Expanse" series. ( )

I loved the world, and the way the reader is just immersed in it is very well done. The plot itself is solid and would have been incredibly engaging if it wasn't for the piecemeal way it was put together. There was just too much jumping around between characters (not to mention way too many characters) and it was hard to keep track of what was going on. However, I loved Laura and Bruce's characterization, and the epilogue left me liking the book a lot more (and not just because it was fulfilling). ( )

I really struggle to get into this book and finish it. The plot was interesting but it was just too long and took too long to get to the point. Also I found it difficult to like Stein and that made the book hard to read. I skimmed it and read the epilogue because I wanted to know what happened, but I wouldn't recommend this book. ( )

While I'm a fan of SF, I'm not really interested in generational colony ship stories. However, this one was different. Everyone on the ship knows why they are there, but many have no real job or focus. Therefore, there are some strange past times that have sprung up. Likewise, there have been revolts against those in charge, and there is some tension between the military (who steer the ship and run the security forces) and the government.

The story mostly follows Laura Stein, who doesn't like people and has a job in maintenance. This allows her access to many different parts of the ship, over which she is beginning to feel a bit of ownership. She also has somewhat flexible morals, though she isn't violent and doesn't take advantage of people who can't afford it. Her best friend is a man who is physically large, and has a huge streak of crazy stupid in him. Bruce is very aware of what is going on, and his criminal activities have a definite goal. We see things from a few other people's perspectives here and there, but those are the two primary characters.

The plot develops when something strange occurs to Stein when she and Bruce are carrying out a bit of underhanded activity. It leads Stein to ask questions and then Bruce gets involved and finds even more strangeness. When a few other unusual events occur, they become even more suspicious, and go looking for some more information. They find themselves up against a powerful force, with little ability to make their case. There are also some short flashbacks to a period in the unknown past of the ship, the meaning of which we don't know until quite far into the book, and the impact of which comes near the end.

One of the hings I enjoyed about this story is that the main characters are not made to be artificially special or wonderful. Stein finds out she has something special about her quite by accident, and it takes a long time to figure out what it means. However, that doesn't give her special powers or authority. Those she has to grab as opportunity permits. I found myself liking her for her honesty with herself, and her unapologetic attitude. Likewise, Bruce is not particularly attractive, and while he's very intelligent, he's also reckless. That willingness to do stupid crazy things means that he manages to get away with quite a lot. His adventures are frequently pretty humorous, even as they are rather suspenseful. Especially as he know how stupid his actions are, but takes the risk anyway.

I received a free copy for review through LibraryThing, and took far too long to read such and engaging tale.
Previously posted on my GoodReads reviews. ( )