In a universe where death is just a minor inconvenience, Edward Ashton’s “Mickey7” explores what it means to be expendable – and what happens when you’re no longer willing to die for the cause. This darkly comedic sci-fi romp follows the misadventures of Mickey Barnes, an “Expendable” clone who signed up for a suicide mission to escape his troubles back home, only to find himself caught between warring factions on an inhospitable ice planet. With shades of “The Martian” and “Dark Matter,” Ashton delivers a thought-provoking meditation on identity and sacrifice wrapped in a page-turning adventure.
The Setup: Meet Mickey, Your Friendly Neighborhood Sacrificial Lamb
Our hapless hero Mickey Barnes is the designated Expendable for the Niflheim colony mission—basically, a human guinea pig sent to test whether various hazards will kill everyone else. Whenever Mickey dies (which happens frequently), a new clone body is printed with his memories mostly intact. It’s a crap job, but somebody’s gotta do it. And Mickey, desperate to escape some gambling debts back on his home planet, figures dying repeatedly is better than, well, dying permanently.
Of course, things go sideways when Mickey7 survives a mission he was supposed to die on, only to return and find Mickey8 has already been activated to replace him. Now he’s got to keep his unexpected survival a secret or risk being recycled for parts. Oh, and did I mention the mysterious alien “creepers” that may or may not want to eat the entire human colony? Yeah, Mickey’s got 99 problems and dying ain’t one. Well, okay, dying is still very much one of his problems. But you get the idea.
The Good Stuff: Ashton’s Morbid Humor Shines
Ashton has a knack for finding the gallows humor in even the grimmest scenarios. Mickey’s blasé attitude towards his own repeated deaths is darkly hilarious:
“In my line of work, you spend a lot of time pondering different ways to die—when you’re not actually experiencing them, that is. I’ve never frozen to death before. I’ve definitely thought about it, though.”
The banter between Mickey and his best frenemy Berto (the colony’s ace pilot) crackles with wit, even as Berto repeatedly abandons Mickey to gruesome fates. Their relationship captures that special bond between people who’ve known each other too long to actually like each other anymore, but are stuck together anyway.
Ashton also excels at worldbuilding through casual details and asides. We learn about the history and politics of this universe organically, without clunky exposition dumps. The glimpses we get of life back on Mickey’s home planet of Midgard are intriguing—a post-scarcity society grappling with purposelessness and ennui.
Identity Crisis: Who Are You When You’re Infinitely Replaceable?
Beyond the snappy dialogue and tense action scenes, “Mickey7” grapples with some weighty philosophical questions. What makes us who we are if our memories and personality can be downloaded into a new body? Is a clone with your memories really “you,” or just a good copy?
Mickey struggles with these existential quandaries as he faces off against his doppelganger Mickey8. Are they the same person? Twins? Rivals? It’s complicated, to say the least. Ashton resists easy answers, instead using the premise to explore the malleability of identity and the ethics of disposable clones.
There’s also a potent allegory for capitalist exploitation in Mickey’s expendable status. He signed up for this gig out of desperation, and now finds himself trapped in an endless cycle of dying for a cause he’s not sure he believes in anymore. It’s wage slavery taken to its logical extreme—literally working yourself to death over and over for the benefit of others.
Alien Encounters of the Creepy Kind
While the human drama takes center stage, Ashton also delivers some genuinely unnerving alien encounters. The mysterious “creepers” that inhabit Niflheim are like a cross between centipedes and the Xenomorphs from “Alien”—all” mandibles and squirming legs and NOPE. Mickey’s harrowing journey through their underground tunnels is nail-bitingly tense.
Ashton keeps us guessing about the true nature and motivations of the creepers right up until the end. Are they mindless animals? Hostile invaders? Misunderstood potential allies? The slow reveal of their capabilities and society is one of the book’s strongest elements.
Room for Improvement: Pacing Hiccups and Underdeveloped Side Characters
While “Mickey7” is a rollicking good time overall, it’s not without its flaws. The pacing lags a bit in the middle as Mickey and Mickey8 debate what to do about their predicament. Some judicious trimming could have tightened things up.
Additionally, while Mickey, Berto, and love interest Nasha are well-developed, many of the supporting characters feel a bit two-dimensional. Colony commander Marshall in particular comes across as a stock “hard-ass military leader” type without much nuance.
The Verdict: A Clever, Compelling Sci-Fi Romp
Despite some minor quibbles, “Mickey7” is a thoroughly enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of Andy Weir and Blake Crouch. Ashton’s blend of humor and high-stakes tension keeps the pages turning, while the deeper themes give you plenty to chew on after the last page.
This is Ashton’s third novel, following “Three Days in April” and “The End of Ordinary.” While those earlier works flew under the radar, “Mickey7” feels like a potential breakout hit. It’s already been optioned for a film adaptation by Bong Joon-ho (director of “Parasite”), so expect to hear a lot more about this plucky expendable clone in the near future.
In the end, “Mickey7” asks us what we’re willing to sacrifice for the greater good—and whether that sacrifice is truly necessary. It’s a question without easy answers, but Ashton’s witty prose and inventive worldbuilding make the journey of exploring it a blast. Just don’t get too attached to Mickey. He has a habit of dying on you.
Perfect for: Fans of “The Martian,” “Dark Matter,” and other sci-fi stories that blend humor with high-concept ideas. Also great for anyone who’s ever felt like their job was slowly killing them. Trust me, it could be worse—you could be Mickey.
Pair with: A stiff drink and some comfort food. You’ll need it to settle your nerves after some of Mickey’s more gruesome deaths. Maybe avoid anything with too many legs, though. The creepers might put you off centipede-shaped pasta for a while.
Final Thoughts: Life, Death, and Everything In Between
“Mickey7” is one of those rare sci-fi novels that manages to be both wildly entertaining and genuinely thought-provoking. Ashton has crafted a universe that feels lived-in and plausible, despite its far-future setting. The challenges of interstellar colonization are presented with scientific rigor, but never at the expense of character or plot.
At its core, this is a story about what it means to be human in a world where humanity itself is becoming increasingly malleable. Mickey’s struggle to assert his individuality in the face of his own replaceability is deeply relatable, even if most of us don’t have to deal with evil doppelgangers.
It’s also a meditation on the value we place on human life. In a society where death is theoretically “curable,” how does that change our relationship to risk and sacrifice? Ashton doesn’t offer easy answers, but he raises fascinating questions.
So strap in for a wild ride across the icy wastes of Niflheim. Just remember – in space, everyone can hear you scream. Especially if you’re Mickey Barnes, because you’ll probably be doing a lot of screaming. But hey, at least you’ll live to scream another day. And another. And another…
