Redshirts by John Scalzi

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Publication date: 2012
Publisher: Tor
Pages: 314
My rating: 3.5 stars
Ages: 18+

Ensign Andrew Dahl thinks he's pretty lucky to have been assigned to the Intrepid. But there is something strange happening on the ship . . . the senior officers are overdramatic, the rules of science are being broken, and people keeping dying. Only when Andy and his friends start comparing notes do they realize that it's something much more than just weird things—it's something much much bigger.

This is probably the best Star Trek parody since Galaxy Quest. Everything from the title to the smallest incident pokes fun at science fiction television, while at the same time giving it complete respect. The novel takes a minor character and makes him the main character while at the same time keeping him a minor character.

The codas I could have done without. They seemed to take the fun out of the rest of the novel, turning it serious.

There is a bit of hard language and sexual dialogue.

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