Mickey7

by Edward Ashton

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published Feb. 15, 2022 by St. Martin's Press.

ISBN:: 9781250275035

(3 reviews)

Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living.

Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous—even suicidal—the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.

On a fairly routine scouting mission, Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. By the time he returns to the colony base, surprisingly helped back by native life, Mickey7’s fate has been sealed. There’s a new clone, Mickey8, reporting for Expendable duties. The idea of duplicate Expendables is universally loathed, and if caught, they will likely be thrown into the recycler for protein.

Mickey7 must keep his double a secret from the rest of …

Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living.

Mickey7 must keep his double a secret from the rest of the colony. Meanwhile, life on Niflheim is getting worse. The atmosphere is unsuitable for humans, food is in short supply, and terraforming is going poorly. The native species are growing curious about their new neighbors, and that curiosity has Commander Marshall very afraid. Ultimately, the survival of both lifeforms will come down to Mickey7.

That is, if he can just keep from dying for good.

3 editions

choconougat reviewed Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

fun read

5 stars

had a deadline to return the book to the library so had to read it in three days and I DID it, which speaks for the book in and of iteself. It's a funny and fast read.

I would rather describe this as a pov into the whole space expendition business from a low-level personnel (if he could be called that), then the discussion of whether dying and being rebuilt is immortality. The most fun parts are dirty bits that got glossed over in propaganda, as mickey said himself; and how the human race is a really weird species that did its evolution the bad way. (All the horrible ways to die remind me of FAM, and the fact that mickey had to take this job cuz he was not capable of any other things too, and I am so happy about it)

joachim@lire.boitam.eu reviewed Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

Interesting concept

3 stars

The idea of a “ship of Theseus” disposable human is engaging, but the book doesn’t do it justice. It’s a short read, not without its entertaining moments, but I don’t think I’ll be curious enough to read what’s bound to come next.

Paul reviewed Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

Review of 'Mickey7' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

If someone is completely disassembled, and then perfectly reassembled with all (or most) of the same memories, are they the same person?

Mickey7 isn't the first book to try these sorts of questions, but it does handle them in an entertaining and very accesible manner. I would have liked a bit more depth but for what it is, this book is an enjoyable thriller with several nods to some interesting concepts.