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A review by thecaptainsquarters
The Oxygen Farmer by Colin Holmes
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Ahoy there me mateys! This sci-fi read was a random pick from the local library because I liked the title and the cover. The premise is that on the Moon a cranky old man named Millennium Harrison trips (literally) over a secret bunker that has leaking radiation. Shenanigans ensue.
This was a very uneven read but there was a lot to like here. I loved Harrison who just wants to be left alone and occasionally talk to the few people he likes. He is extremely self-sufficient, caring under his gruff exterior, and intelligent. I also enjoy an older protagonist and at 80 years old Mil fits the bill. The reason for his name and fame were silly and fun. He is the oxygen farmer of the title.
The set-up about Harrison's job and how the Moon is run was lovely. I liked reading about the oxygen farming and how the technology is shifting. I enjoyed hearing about the history of the developing the Moon and how the next push is Mars. Then there is the family drama. Mil is estranged from his daughter who just happens to be the head of the Space Program. Mil's discovery leads to his granddaughter being in hot water. Watching those relationships play out were entertaining and somewhat poignant. Mil (and his attitude) were the highlight for me.
The two biggest issues of the book come down to the second half. All of the politics on Earth and the plot that takes place there were not very interesting to me. Part of this is that I felt like I was reading about the Cold War 2.0 where all Russians are evil and humans have learned absolutely nothing from past conflicts. There is also a capitalism is evil plot that wasn't particularly thought out. I also didn't really like how the radiation problem was being dealt with in general.
But the absolute biggest disappointment was the ending.***MINOR SPOILER*** Mil is put into a deep sleep and when he wakes up he is TOLD how all the politics and conflicts were fixed. How boring is that? The main character isn't even really involved in the entire resolution!
I am not sad that I read this book but I do feel like it could have been immensely improved. If 1950s cold war type stories or movies like Armageddon float yer boat then this may work better for ye. If not, I am not sure I can recommend it in general. Arrrr!
This was a very uneven read but there was a lot to like here. I loved Harrison who just wants to be left alone and occasionally talk to the few people he likes. He is extremely self-sufficient, caring under his gruff exterior, and intelligent. I also enjoy an older protagonist and at 80 years old Mil fits the bill. The reason for his name and fame were silly and fun. He is the oxygen farmer of the title.
The set-up about Harrison's job and how the Moon is run was lovely. I liked reading about the oxygen farming and how the technology is shifting. I enjoyed hearing about the history of the developing the Moon and how the next push is Mars. Then there is the family drama. Mil is estranged from his daughter who just happens to be the head of the Space Program. Mil's discovery leads to his granddaughter being in hot water. Watching those relationships play out were entertaining and somewhat poignant. Mil (and his attitude) were the highlight for me.
The two biggest issues of the book come down to the second half. All of the politics on Earth and the plot that takes place there were not very interesting to me. Part of this is that I felt like I was reading about the Cold War 2.0 where all Russians are evil and humans have learned absolutely nothing from past conflicts. There is also a capitalism is evil plot that wasn't particularly thought out. I also didn't really like how the radiation problem was being dealt with in general.
But the absolute biggest disappointment was the ending.
I am not sad that I read this book but I do feel like it could have been immensely improved. If 1950s cold war type stories or movies like Armageddon float yer boat then this may work better for ye. If not, I am not sure I can recommend it in general. Arrrr!