Pros
- Excellent space battles
- Story moves along at a nice pace even if plot does not advance much
- More information about the strange beings like Gaia
Cons
- Conclusion to the battle against empire a bit anticlimactic
Odysseus Ascendant Review
Odysseus Ascendant by Evan Currie regales readers with an epic battle between Earth and its ally the Priminae and the Imperial sector fleet of hundreds of ships.
One great aspect of the series Odyssey One is its pacing of the plot. That is, the gradual unveiling of the plot reveals an expanding story that doesn’t overwhelm its readers with too much like some science fiction series.
Captain Weston once again finds himself fighting against seemingly overwhelming odds. At first, those odds were a small scouting Drasin fleet which outnumbered him perhaps three or four to one. But as the story progresses, these odds exploded to the astronomical numbers of thousands of Drasin drone ships built by a stellar construction harvesting the energy of a sun.
But whereas these drone ships operated automatically and were thus fairly predictable, the relatively fewer Imperial ships pose a greater threat because of their superior technology, numbers, and even tactics.
It’s the clever strategies that Captain Weston uses throughout the series and in this story that make the story so enjoyable. The creative and desperate use of otherwise dangerous maneuvers like releasing faster-than-light energy from an incoming ship into an enemy formation give Earth that advantage that it needs in order to survive.
However, facing drones that behave logically and predictably is different from facing an enemy who is competent and adaptable.
While Weston’s battle against the Imperial fleet in this story goes well, their sheer number means despite Weston’s victory, attrition will eventually result in defeat for Earth and its fledgling ambitions in the galaxy.
The battles Weston faces in the story are exciting and suspenseful, keeping readers, if they’re sitting, at the edge of their seats. That’s why the last-minute solution to the Empire’s attempted genocide feels a bit of a letdown even if it does provide a sense of relief for readers.
More surprises are in store for readers regarding beings who make up Gaia and Odysseus. While their origins are still unclear, some readers may recognize the more spiritual aspect of these characters. It’s also still unclear the role these beings play in the series and whether or not they’re common throughout the universe. But if Gaia and Central’s existence suggest that they are as part of the universe as other life.
Odysseus Ascendant by Evan Currie is an excellent sequel that provides readers a temporary solution to the conflict between the Empire and Earth and the Priminae. This conclusion may not be as exciting as outright defeat, but it does provide room for an expansion of the series beyond just battles and into something that develops the universe more.
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