For about the first quarter of this book I felt like I was reading what might be the best hard SF novel of the year. At about the half-way mark though, Dickinson really goes off the rails, as what started as a domestic first-contact story has become a military thriller meets cosmic horror, and I'm not sure that the whole exercise doesn't start collapsing from its own weight; though I know that I found the whole train wreck fascinating to watch. I can't help thinking that this novel made me respect Neil Asher even more, as this sort of thing is his bread and butter, but with a lot less angst. The biggest issue though is that this novel winds up on a somewhat dispirited cliff-hanger, and Dickinson has made it clear that there is no guarantee that he'll get to write a follow-on book (which he has the raw material for), and I really want to read that book! ( )

I loved this, and have very little to say that isn’t spoilery, but it feels like Dickinson let go of some fear and just wrote without embarrassment. It starts with Anna, a victim of the Iraqi genocide against the Kurds, forced to commit atrocities of her own, living now in the US with no real hopes or dreams. Then the alien Sssrin comes, claiming that their stories match (which is a pretty bad sign, actually, and also that Sssrin explains that her entire species is doomed to hell). Then comes the EMP, and then the men with guns to take Anna back to her homeland, where an alien spaceship has appeared. It is about colonialism, and about how the world ending is not unusual for some humans, and also about physics and trolley problems and compromises and tragedies that are too big to comprehend and therefore humans (and aliens) can inflict them. I dunno, read it! ( )

EXORDIA, by Seth Dickinson, is an epic story of humanity attempting to repel a global alien assault. a small group of military, scientists, and civilians, who each bring something special to the situation, have to figure out what is going on, why it it is going on, and hopefully how to stop it, while also dealing with their own interpersonal challenges.
The book feels apocalyptic to say the least. There is an ever present feeling of immediate global annihilation while reading that keeps the reader on edge. There is a lot of military and scientific jargon that I had a tough time understanding and keeping up with. It slowed down the momentum building of the plot for me, but another reader might embrace and enjoy it more than I did. I did enjoy the plot and where the book lead the reader to in the end and Dickinson does a great job of creating complex, interesting and realistic characters that the reader will inevitably connect with emotionally and pull for to save the world.
Dense, complicated, and emotionally rewarding, I enjoyed EXORDIA.
I received this book as part of the Goodreads Giveaway program. ( )