Armada (2015) Book Review

 Hey everyone, how's it going? I'm doing pretty well for a Thursday. I'm back for another book review, as I mentioned in my last post. In fact, now that the weather is getting nice enough for me to read outside again, you'll be seeing more book and comic book reviews from me. Right now though let's get into today's book review, which is on Ernest Cline's second novel, Armada, which was first published in 2015. There might be some spoilers but not too many. So if you haven't read this book yet, be aware of that. Let's get into it.

My main problem with Cline's first novel, 2011's Ready Player One, was that he wasn't great at developing his characters, particularly his POV/main character, Wade Watts. However, as I was reading Armada this time around, I began to realize that Cline did this on purpose. 

Ernest Cline was born in 1972 and grew up in the '70s and '80s. During this time many of the TV shows, books, movies, and video games didn't have much in the way of well developed or nuanced characters. Especially in the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres. Most of the protagonists and their supporting casts, were archetypes. And while Luke Skywalker started out that way in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), Lawrence Kasdan turned him into a slightly more complex character in the scripts for the sequels, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983). His contemporaries, such as Alex Rogan in The Last Starfighter (1984), Flash Gordon in Flash Gordon (1980), and even Superman in the Richard Donner/Richard Lester movie series (1978-1987) are archetypal characters with little to no depth or growth to them. And because Cline's novels, particularly Armada, are paying homage to the Sci-Fi and Fantasy films of his youth, it would make sense for these books to follow that same formula.

In fact, both novels feel like old Spielberg movies with teenagers saving the day. Though Armada shares elements with The Last Starfighter as well. In fact, this book is more like The Last Starfighter than any other '80s Sci-Fi movie. Which is pretty cool as The Last Starfighter is one of my favourite Science Fiction movies. 

Back when I reviewed Armada on the Review Basement I said that Zack Lightman, our hero for this book, got things done a bit too easily than Wade did in Ready Player One. Rereading Armada for this review though, I realized that the external struggle isn't the point of this book. It's Zack's internal struggle that matters. At the start of the book he's angry and frustrated because he never knew his dad, yet was alot like him. And he struggles to deal with that throughout the book, even after he discovers the truth about his father. Which is a pretty big twist. If you've read Armada, you know what I'm talking about. 

I can't say much about the rest of the characters, because they participate in the story, but that's really all they do. Which is fine for this type of story as it's not an ensemble cast like it is for the 1987-2005 Star Trek TV shows. And unlike with Sorrento in Ready Player One, there's no single villain character in Armada. The Alien race Zack finds himself fighting against with his friends and family aren't what they seem either. Again, if you've read it, you know what I'm talking about.

Overall this is a pretty great book. I recommend reading it or listening to the audiobook performed none other than Wil Wheaton, Wesley Crusher himself. I haven't heard the audiobook, but it's Wil Wheaton, so it has to be entertaining.

That's going to be it for me for today. I'll be back soon though with lots more reviews. In fact I have a full schedule next week with the season finale of The Mandalorian dropping on Wednesday, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always also dropping on Wednesday, and the series finale of Star Trek: Picard dropping on Thursday. I'll also be starting to watch Star Wars Rebels in preparation for when Ahsoka comes out in August, so expect season reviews as well as a full series review to come out over the next little bit. Until then have a great evening and I will talk to you all later. Take care.