Sooo, I’ve got a review for a scifi Moby Dick retelling today! (I also posted it on my Instagram so this post is about the same as that, if you’ve already seen that, just with other info. :))
Title: Ahab
Author: E.B. Dawson
- Date read: November 14, 2020
- Rating: 4 stars? I don’t even know how to star this because most of it’s, like, 6 out of 5 stars. XD And then the ending is not okay. T_T So. ???
- Genre: Sci-fi / Space Opera / Retelling
- Age: YA/NA?
- Year pub: 2020
- Pages: 191 (ebook)
- Series: No
- Fave character: Don’t make me choose between Ahab and Starbuck. They are both amazing in different ways and are the best working together.
- Source: The author (e-ARC) and Amazon (finished ebook I preordered)
- Links: Goodreads • Amazon • Author’s Website
I physically can’t properly review this. I couldn’t handle that ending but otherwise AHAB was amazing and until then I loved every second of it!
E.B. Dawson’s scifi is my favorite, and this one blended old and new, a wonderful Moby Dick retelling set in space, chilling and charming at turns. And Ahab and Starbuck are everything. Buddy stories are the BEST. This came SO close to being one of my top fave books of the year. 1800s-ish feeling but IN SPACE?? So amazing. 💚
I need happy endings, though. I NEED them.
I saw this sad ending coming but foolishly held out hope. Heh. So yeah, while I hated the ending and will not apologize for that (#happyendingsadvocate because #hope), the rest of the book was AMAZING and if you like buddy stories and don’t mind some feels/tragic-to-bittersweet endings, you will LOVE this.
(It also says something about the sheer quality of this book that I don’t hate the book, only the ending–which often makes me write a book off completely. It was utterly entrancing, overall.)
So yes. Good book. Sad ending. Like, couldn’t fall asleep, type sad. 😭 (If you need even MORE feels while reading, you can listen to In the Embers by Sleeping At Last, Brother by Kodaline, and Burn the Ships by For King and Country, which is what I did accidentally. Um. Yeah. Some awesome songs I’ve been listening to lately and a very feelzy combination with this book. It felt quite…ironic.)
The book was amazing while I was reading it, though. Just. Wow. Every word was just–on point. And, again, that 1800s feel? But scifi at the same time? It was perfection. How often do you get a buddy story with intense space voyages but also a gorgeous ball/party and walking 1800s-type streets. I could read this foreverrrr. All of it was incredible until the last chapter or so.
Now excuse me while I go lowkey imagine a (non-heartrending) alternate ending and also flail about how spectacular the rest of the book was.
Aaand I’ll just go cry now, thx. 😭
(Confession: I’ve never actually read the original, and the Moby Dick “book” in this picture is actually a wooden bookend. 😂 Maybe the original prepares you for the ending? 😬 I wouldn’t know. 😅 Also, I adored getting to the part near the end which is basically the Voyage of the Pequod short story, just a little different. I reread it along with the book and enjoyed it immensely. And hey, if AHAB sounds amazing but like me you can’t handle tragicness, do pick up VOYAGE OF THE PEQUOD.)
Thanks to the author for the e-ARC even though I ended up reading the final ebook I ordered since I read it after release because I’m so behind on my reading. 😂
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That is just SO TRAGIC this one had such a depressing ending, because it sounds SO. GOOOOOD!!! You gotta love an epic buddy story, and the whole setting of this one just??? I LOVE IT ALREADY?!?! It sounds totally unique and amazing!
*gives you consolation cookies* I’ll stand with you as a happy ending advocate. Bring on the torture and pain and despair allllll you want in the middle of the book, but I need SOME sort of hope and happiness by the ending.
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I knowwww! But it was SO good otherwise! And someone pointed out the the original is more tragic and that this one had a hint of hope/bittersweet in an epilogue, instead of ooonly tragic, which I appreciate. 🙂 But yes, I need happy things at the end. XD *accepts consolation cookies* Thank youuu! But the whole book was so delicious otherwise!
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Moby Dick??? In SPACE??? SO COOL! But, um, yeah, I am so with you on needing a happy ending. *guiltily swipes my own story ideas with bittersweet endings under the carpet* I’ve never read the original either, off-subject but I read Old Man and the Sea for school and, no offense to the classics, I kind of hated it… so I’ve been so not interested in reading any other man and fish books. XD I imagine alternate endings too! Especially when a character dies that I was really attached to and it just felt pointless. *glares at offending books and sulks* Thanks for this review! I always love reading them. ^_^
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Right?? I just love how cool the concept is! Haha, yes, yay for happy endings. I looooved most of it, though! Okay, I’ve specifically never read Old Man and the Sea because my mom had to read it for school and hated it, so I hear you! XD This one was really epic. Yay for imagining alternate endings! XD And aww, thank you! Your comment made my day — even if I’m way behind on things because of NaNo. Thank you!!
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If I’d had any say in the matter, I would not have read Old Man and the Sea. ;p
Hehe, I have some full-fledged fanfics in my head because I didn’t like how things turned out in some stories, or movies. (I negated certain things in the last Avengers movie… *sobs*)
I completely understand being behind because of NaNo, I’m still a week behind on emails, blogs, and such. XD I hope you had a fantastic NaNo!!! ^_^ Ooh, and Merry Christmas!!! ❤
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Oof, Avengers things. Yepppp. XD Thanks, NaNo was good! ^_^ Merry Christmas to you toooo!!!
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