Redshirts by John Scalzi

Redshirts

Publisher: Tor Books (2012)

Author: John Scalzi

Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comedy

Pages: 317

Price: $14.99

Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship’s Xenobiology laboratory.

Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.

Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

Redshirts is Philip K. Dick with a Blazing Saddles ending. For the most part it works, the first two-thirds of the story center on the existential dilemma of our main characters, and the ridiculously dangerous situations they find themselves in continuously. As the story moves forward the reader learns that all is not as it seems, there is a far more powerful hand involved in their fates than they could have imagined. The humor is liberally sprinkled throughout to distract from the dire circumstances the characters suffer through. There are some passages that are laugh out loud funny, something that has been missing in some of my recent literary choices.

As the story progresses we are treated to some funny 'fish out of water' scenarios, as the heroes acclimate themselves to a new setting. A plan is devised that should allow them to fix those things wrong in their lives, and do some good along the way. The story even concludes with a “They all lived happily ever after.”

Here to book takes a turn, although that's the end of the story, it is not the end of the book. The reader finds three more sections, written from drastically different points of view, that are seemingly intended to give the reader a 'moral of the story' type feeling by the end. The concern here is two-fold. For me personally, the end of the main story was satisfying. It had been funny and action packed and came to a logical conclusion. The last third or fourth of the book tries to reinforce the positive themes from the rest of the book, but they hardly needed reinforcement.

Conclusion: Redshirts is a fun read that will make you laugh. Although the last part of the book seems to lose focus it doesn't detract from what was overall a pleasant read. The whole thing also offers some interesting commentary on the ways some creators of entertainment take their audience for granted.

Rating: 7.25/10