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Why it matters
Scalzi turns a familiar science-fiction trope into a comic metafiction about agency, authorship, and disposable characters.
2013 selection · Science fiction & fantasy
New crew members aboard the starship Intrepid notice that junior officers die at alarming rates whenever senior officers lead away missions. Their investigation uncovers a reality governed by the careless logic of a television narrative.
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Scalzi turns a familiar science-fiction trope into a comic metafiction about agency, authorship, and disposable characters.
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You enjoy fast, self-aware space adventures that interrogate storytelling conventions.
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Hugo Award for Best Novel — official winner recordOfficial record↗ (opens in a new tab)