Two stars...it was just okay.

I was hesitant to read Armada because the general consensus was that it wasn't as good as Ready Player One. I prepared myself for this fact and dived in when I was in between books.

The reviews don't lie. This is Enders Game with as many pop culture and nerd references as you can find. The first quarter of the book was a chore because every third sentence referenced this movie, this game or some obscure quote. I appreciated that I understood most of them but when I came across some I didn't immediately recognize I wasn't sure if this was a reference beyond my reach or just something the character was saying.

I'd been too busy having my whole perception of reality shattered into a million pieces. When the lights came up a few seconds later, they hit us with the really bad news.

The story was farfetched and unbelievable and if you accept that then the story is just easier to read. The whole book takes place over the course of a few days? Mean commander lets an insubordinate and reckless rookie off with a light tongue lashing? Secret conspiracy that only a few people believe? This is a light story with a simple plot and I was entertained for the week I read it.

I didn't need to understand complex political motives or unsaid actions between characters and that's fine. The references may have been a bit much, the ending was a bit too neat, but I was entertained for a week and that's what a book is for.

Who doesn't love E.T., I ask you?

Yeah, I don't love E.T.. I hate E.T.enough that I had to highlight this and say that E.T. traumatized me as a child and I can't tolerate anything related to E.T.. Being nine years old and watching People Under the Stairs wasn't a problem, being even younger and watching E.T. damaged me and I was afraid to go outside when there was partial moon at night. So, yeah, I don't love E.T..