Customer Reviews

Stargate Atlantis: Reliquary (Stargate Atlantis)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have read a lot of tv-based books and this one by Martha Wells is the best story of this kind that I have ever read. The author has to be a fan of the show or else she just really did her homework because, in my opinion, the characters are well written and their mannerisms are just as they are portrayed on television.
The story is well thought-out and imaginative. And Ms. Wells has a wonderful descriptive style that allows the reader to easily visualize the world she has created for the characters.
The book is interesting from the first chapter and the story moves along at a brisk pace while still allowing the clever interaction between characters that fans of the show enjoy.
Someone who is not familiar with the tv show may not completely understand some of the unique elements that are integral to the Stargate Atlantis "universe", but the author explains many of the necessary elements as the story moves along and does so without stopping the momentum of the story line.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel--in fact, I couldn't put it down!
A must read for any Stargate Atlantis fan!

Given the previous ventures into Stargate novelizations, I did not have very high expectations for this one. I thought, however, I'd give it a try. This is the first "Stargate: Atlantis" novel I've read, and I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. The story itself reminded me a little too much of the Season 2 episode "Conversion" but I'm willing to let that slide--I don't know when this was originally written and published, so it could possibly pre-date the episode. Technically speaking, the writing was good, the pacing was good, the dialogue was good. There was not too much character development, but you can only do so much of that in this type of book.

My biggest pet peeve with these types of novels is the constant jumping around of point-of-view. You can't avoid jumping points-of-view completely, but this novel did a really good job of keeping that to a minimum. The story is primarily written from Sheppard's point-of-view. If you enjoy the show, you'll enjoy this book. I look forward to reading the others ones, and I will definitely be on the lookout for more by this particular author.

The other reviewers have covered this book from the point of view of Stargate Atlantis fans (and also mentioned the huge wait you can expect for this book)-- but as someone who's a Martha Wells fan first and foremost, I wanted to add that her readers won't be disappointed by this book in any way! She does a wonderful job of catching the rhythm and voices of the characters from the show, but there is also the tight plotting and somewhat gothic feel that her readers are used to-- in particular the scenes in the abandoned, haunted city and being hunted in the underground labyrinth are reminiscent of scenes from the Ile Rien books-- but with Sheppard and McKay standing in (hilariously) for Gil and Ilias. In other words, she's brought all her strengths to this project, and even if you love Wells but don't watch this show regularly, I think Wells fans will find it an entertaining read & a worthwhile addition to their collections.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was pleasantly surprised at how accurately the writer managed to nail the characters! The writer of this book is also a fan! The story is a little slow to start and does lag a little at times, but it is like watching an episode of SGA in your head and having the joy of it going on for hours and hours while you read. I loved Mckay! Sometimes he had me laughing on the floor. And for those hardcore fanfiction writers/readers, there is also a fair amount of Shep whumping which is always kinda fun. I am not going to give away the plot although there are a few similarities to the episode Conversion. Wink! Wink! There is a wonderful sense of realism and grittiness which is often missing in the TV progam as sometimes I feel the sets and environments are lit too cheerfully or scenarios are wrapped up too neatly and don't always reflect the emotional challenges or situations the characters are enduring. This book takes us into that world of living in another galaxy, far from home.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed it! This book is a must for SG1 and SGA fans!!

Although this came highly recommended by friends who are Stargate Atlantis fans, I was reluctant to get it - I've been burned by horrible pro fiction based on other series, like Trek. However, this book was exceptionally good. The plot was tight, the characters were very well done, and the twists kept me turning the page to the end. It was everything I love about the series, and more. I would highly recommend this book to any fan of the show.

I chose this particular book over the other titles available in Stargate Atlantis novels because the plot of the book is not a reminiscent of an already-done SG:A episode. This is the first book from Martha Wells that I've read, and I am already waiting impatiently for her next SG:A novel, Entanglement (projected for March '07). She's obviously aware of the slash fanbase in this fandom and her writing has more than enough Rodney/Sheppard interaction to leave a slash fan happy while keeping them in-character.

Wells explored and expanded the concepts behind the ATA gene, especially its mind-reading and psychological component and how various Ancient technologies interact with it. Her wonderful concept underlines the great potential that the ATA gene have. Definitely a must read for slash fan and non-slash fan alike.

Excerpt to the first chapter is available from the author's website (.......) if you are unsure if her characterization and writing style would suit you.

Martha Wells has captured all the "Stargate: Atlantis" characters at their best--and their worst. The Season 1 action of Rodney and John's sarcastic, childish arguing is fantastic, and the one-liners scattered through the book are hilarious! The only thing about the book that got me was the plight that John Sheppard found himself in--I'm wondering if the author saw the episode "Conversion" before she wrote the book. Overall, as a standalone book, it's a fantastic book with a good storyline, a real plot, and lovable characters! I highly recommend this book to "Stargate: Atlantis" fans, whether you're new to the show or (like me) have been watching it from the beginning.

The author did a terrific job with the plotting and characters in this story. They feel, sound and, in our minds eye, look like the characters that we've become familiar with on the show, yet there was just enough additional detail so that familiarity wasn't necessary to understand what was going on or each character's place in the scheme of things. Well written - one to keep and read again.

So far, I have found the Stargate Atlantis books to be far superior to the Stargate SG-1 books. Many of the SG-1 novels are obviously written by inexperienced authors, and are little more than legitimized fan-fiction. Mind you, I have only read two Atlantis novels thus far ("Rising" and "Reliquary"), but both of them have been of higher-than-average quality, while out of the eight-or-so SG-1 novels I've read, only one or two have been of equal quality. Regarding "Reliquary", I was completely unsurprised to find out that the author (Martha Wells) is an already-established writer with many published novels. It shows in this book.

She does an excellent job of creating atmosphere. The first half of the book reads like a suspense novel, with the tension growing as the team explores an abandoned Atlantean outpost. When they find an unexpected survivor, things seem to be explained . . . until everything starts to go wrong. It isn't a very long novel, but the plot is so well-paced that you don't notice the length, or lack thereof.

The characterizations are quite good. The dialogue, the actions and interactions of the characters, all of it is true to the show. She also does a good job with descriptions (lending to the atmosphere). I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If given the chance, I will certainly read all of this author's Stargate novels, and I intend to look into her other books as well.

As a writer, it is extremely difficult to turn off my inner critic when reading a series tie-in like this. Historically, such books are an experiment in mental torture with their inaccuracies, poor style/construction, sophomoric plots, cardboard original characters, et al. Honestly, I can't even walk by the Star Trek section of any bookstore without physically cringing. Knowing the process of tie-in publication, you would think the license owners of these shows would be FAR more selective when choosing who expands their universes upon the page.

Ms. Wells, on the other hand, stands out from the pack with this work. Talk about a blast of welcomed fresh air! The characterization was scarily accurate, the plot/storyline well conceived and laid out, and the dialog had me literally guffawing out loud (John's thought of group therapy with sock puppets completely slayed me!).

Several reviewers mention the SGA episode, "Conversion," which shares a similar plot contrivance with "Reliquary," though in the latter, Shepp has the misfortune of becoming a gray-skinned werewolf creature psychically in tune with Ancient technology--as opposed to becoming a two-legged eratus bug that likes to combine kissing with stick fighting. Long story to short, considering the length of time the publication process takes (2-3 years ordinarily), Ms. Wells likely wrote her first draft while Season 1 was still on the air.

Thanks to her amazing way of bringing the SGA characters to life, such things are irrelevant.

If I had one bone to pick, it would be the POV-shifting in so many scenes. That's one of those writing Ten Commandments that should never be broken. POV-shift is annoying, even jarring to the reader, and it screams amateur. But in this case, it's a small point when the strength of the story is taken as a whole.

Looking forward to seeing what "Entanglement" has to offer!