Book Review: Terminal Alliance by Jim C. Hines

This review was first published by Booklist on November 3, 2017.

A biological attack turns most of the crew of the spaceship Pufferfish into ravening zombies. Only the janitorial crew members survive unscathed. It’s up to them to figure out how to avoid the attackers still hunting them—but first they have to figure out how to fly the ship. Thus begins Terminal Alliance, the first novel in a new series from the author of the Magic Ex Libris series (Revisionary, 2017) that raises the bar for humorous postapocalyptic science fiction with charming underdogs, fascinating alien races, complex intergalactic politics, and a far-reaching conspiracy. With so much serious dystopia on the shelves, a story like this is a genuine pleasure to read: proudly funny and ridiculous. But don’t dismiss this novel as only silly fun. It is also good science fiction: a solid premise, an expansive universe, a compelling history, a strong and varied cast of characters, pulse-pounding action, and a galactic crisis with high stakes. The fact that it’s funny is icing on a rich and delicious cake. Clever, and should appeal to fans of Douglas Adams and John Scalzi.