Switchblade Honey [Paperback]

Warren Ellis (Author), Brandon McKinney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 28, 2003

The alien Chasta put their war machine into gear and humankind was suddenly in the worst fight it had ever known - and lost. The solar system will be annexed by the Chasta within the next thirty days. If humankind can't be the U.S. Army anymore, then it will have to be the Viet Cong. Disgraced Captain John Ryder gets a ship and crew and leads them into space as guerrilla fighters. Once clear of the system, they locate a place to hide between sorties and begin fighting. They strike from behind and shoot from cover. If they can't give them hell, Ryder and crew at least give them a hard time. The Chasta throw a ring of steel around the system as they close in on Earth, so Ryder pokes holes in it. They're on their own. No support. Naval vessels won't even recognize their callsign. They don't exist... but they're mankind's last hope.

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: AiT/PlanetLar (July 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932051139
• ISBN-13: 978-1932051131
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,639,274 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SWITCHBLADE HONEY is a riot!, July 26, 2003

By 

"in_valens_name" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Switchblade Honey (Paperback)

It's a fast fun read that starts in the thick of action, and just keeps finding more trouble to get into after that. ST:TNG gets royally hoisted on its own petard. This isn't lifeless "perfect people" space adventure, but rather a story that stays true to human nature... including its best. Fans of military SF should enjoy it at face value. For current Trek fans it might be like a shock therapy. :)

My immediate reaction after reading SWITCHBLADE HONEY was: More!

I hope writer Warren Ellis has more space adventure stories to tell, whether sequels to this or more completely new ones. And I hope publisher Larry Young invites other name writers to write the space adventures they're inspired to -- that the mainstream comic publishers seem to fear to try that genre new to them -- for his impressive company.

So, basically, it's good. Real good. Read it. And you'll want more, too. :)

5.0 out of 5 stars Space opera with fangs, January 19, 2009

By 

J. Shurin "carnivore" (London) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Switchblade Honey (Paperback)

Switchblade Honey (Warren Ellis / Brandon McKinney): Switchblade Honey is one of the most enjoyable, accessible outputs from Avatar Press. This short, black and white, one-off graphic novel tells the straight-forward story of a spaceship filled with outcasts.

The Switchblade Honey is humanity's last hope, due to its unusual technology and more unusual commanding officers. The human race is in serious trouble - apparently mankind's hubris pissed off an overwhelming alien power, and is now almost entirely wiped out. (Worth noting that people don't say 'frak', and there are no wildly hallucinogenic sequences about the nature of God.)

The normal Ellisinian (?) touches are on display - inventive use of technology, catchy dialogue and inspiring, cinematic monologues, a few explosions and an aggressive distaste of authority. McKinney is a good partner - the art is appropriately reminiscent of the simpler days of space-faring comics, except in this case, the crew are more likely to be kicking someone in the knee or shotgunning a beer.

4.0 out of 5 stars Graphic SF Reader, September 2, 2007

By 

Blue Tyson "- Research Finished" (Legion clubhouse) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Switchblade Honey (Paperback)

This is an amusing, slightly over the top satire of Star Trek, and others, at times. Humans fight a war with aliens, and lose, badly. Your usual crew of criminals, misfits, and drunks, gets given one of the last ships left, and gets told to go and fight a guerilla war, or do whatever they can to be annoying. Ultimately the crew has to decide what they really should do.