Review: Code Name: Atlas

Code Name: AtlasCode Name: Atlas by Tony Evans
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.


It's hard to know where to begin with a book like this. I was intrigued by the storyline, pulled in by the quick pacing, but also confused by the end and unable to reconcile the entire book with the very last few pages.


The book begins almost at the end - the main character (were we ever given his real name? I don't remember it being mentioned before he's given his code name) is being held prisoner, among his "men," for something the reader is apparently left to figure out. This kind of tactic, revealing the near-end of a book in order to start a story, doesn't always sit well with me. Primarily, it's because we're told what's going to happen, and then told the story of how it happened. I would rather have the story build to the climax, and have it happen in order, so that I don't sit reading the entire book going "Yeah but..."


There are spoilers after this point so... Click here to read the rest of the review


While I didn't love the book, I did like the story and the ideas it proposed. I wasn't attached to the characters, though, and was almost happy when *spoiler - click the link above to read* and if there is a sequel I really hope that it delves further into character development. If you can look past spelling/grammar errors, and don't so much care about writing style as much as plot, then this book is a good read and an interesting and semi-original sci-fi plot. I appreciated the military and scientific background that came through, as the author mentions in the afterword, and it wasn't too much that the average layperson couldn't follow (Kim Stanley Robinson has the problem of being too high-minded for the average person to follow, this book was much more on equal footing with people who aren't versed in science).


Overall, 3 out of 5 stars for the experience, the story, and Atlas. Get rid of the plot holes, the format errors, and such and it would have been 4.

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