This could have been a wonderful book about the price of human experimentation, damageStars: 1 out of 5.
DNF at 50%.
I think I am done with this author.
This could have been a wonderful book about the price of human experimentation, damaged people, suffering and atonement... it chose to be a weak romance between two unlikable characters instead.
I mean this was a subject matter ripe for the taking. We are talking about a period in the history of USSR when the government was responsible for the imprisonment and deaths of literally millions of its own people. And the author insists that this book was based on a real "closed" city with real events that happened as well. This could have been an exploration of the horrors of human experimentation, of how political doctrine could distort people's perception of right and wrong, of how even normal people could commit atrocities for a perceived "greater good" of their country.
And Valery was the ideal vessel for that exploration. He was a victim as well as a torturer himself. Yes, he spent six years in a GULAG, so he knows first hand the abuse and total dehumanization that happens there. Yet he also worked with Mengele before WWII and experimented on prisoners. If the author would have made this book about his journey of realization that what he had done before was monstrous and his attempts to atone for this by preventing the horrible experiment happening how in City 40, I would have been happily along for the ride.
But it wasn't. In fact, Valery doesn't feel guilt about any of his actions before his imprisonment. He justifies it all by saying that "science had to be done." And you are asking me to care for a character like that? Sorry, no can do.
Unfortunately, we didn't even get that in this book. We got a lackluster romance for which this city and the horrors committed within are just a backdrop. And it was probably my fault for not reading the tags and realizing it was a romance, but this was definitely not what I had wanted in this book. Especially since this romance feels so forced. The author had to fridge both Valery's first love interest and the KGB guy's wife just to make that happen. Plus, as I said, they are both despicable human beings, so watching them grow to care for each other did nothing for me.
Also, does the author hate women? This is the second book I have read from her where all the women are either absolutely awful, unfeeling and domineering towards men, or sweet non-entities who are immediately fridged to provide angst for the male protagonists. Either way, they all end badly. Even the main big bad of this story is a woman, and even though she is so over the top bad, she is the most interesting character in this story, which is sad.
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
I am loving this series so far! The world is so unique and well-integrated. I mean, I can "see" something like that really evolving iStars: 5 out of 5
I am loving this series so far! The world is so unique and well-integrated. I mean, I can "see" something like that really evolving if supernaturals lived alongside us.
The first book introduced the world and our protagonist and had her solve a murder mystery involving one of her co-workers. This book goes a lot more personal. It dives deep into Vivia's childhood, and I can tell you that's stuff nightmares are made of. We finally discover where the hags came from, who her mother was, and why her sister had to die.
Since the story is more personal, it had more impact, at least on me, because I happen to like Vive as a protagonist. She tries really hard NOT to be like her mother. And seeing how Desma behaved with her daughters (and everyone else that wasn't Desma for that matter), I can understand why. Had her family been fully human, child protective services would have taken the two girls away immediately and charged Desma with aggravated child abuse. But as it stands, nobody cares what happens to some supernatural kids. It's a reminder of what often happens to children who aren't part of the main demographic in our world right now, sadly.
I found Vive even more relatable in this book than in the first one. She is faced with impossible odds - trying to solve a decades old murder before her time runs out, and trying to undo the hex that is killing her sister... again. And to accomplish either of those things, she is forced to dig through her often painful past. Also, the revelation about the origins of the hags are rather heartbreaking. It's horrible to discover that you were just a means to an end, that you were never loved by the person who created you.
And while I'm glad that this situation was resolved in a (sort of) happy ending, it seems to me that Vivia lost more than she gained in the end. She lost her mother, she all but lost her sister, and she lost her youth. Yes, she gained freedom, but that seems like a very high price to pay for that, especially since she was paying for the sins of her parents. Literally, as it turns out. I will be interested to see where the series goes in its final book.
Now that Vive finally paid all the karmic debts her family had accumulated over the millennia, I would like to see her build a life for herself that is not dependent on her mother's teachings and abuse. I want to see her happy and accomplished in what she does....more
This is another example of a book where the idea sounds great when you read the blurb on the back, but the execution is sorely disStars: 2.5 out of 5.
This is another example of a book where the idea sounds great when you read the blurb on the back, but the execution is sorely disappointing. Honestly, the most I can say about this book is meh.
The idea of a technology that allows humans to travel the multiverse is amazing, and there are so many ways a story like that could go! One of the best examples so far was The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson . Now that story had a heart. Unfortunately, this one doesn't.
Oh, it has plenty of interesting ideas. The worlds of Pandominion are fascinating, and the idea that in some version of our Earth, primates might not have evolved to dominate the land is intriguing. The fact that most of those diverse races manage to coexist peacefully is also wonderful to see.
However, a long story like that can't win on worldbuilding and concept alone. It needs engaging characters to carry the narrative and keep the readers engaged. And the characters in this book are extremely unlikeable. They are selfish to the extreme, unable to take responsibility of their own actions. They make often horrible decisions and commit atrocities and manage to justify it. I couldn't stand most of them. The only character I could more or less relate to was Paz, because she was mostly an innocent bystander at the beginning, and any actions she took afterwards were fueled by her sense of right and wrong. But we meet Paz a lot later in the book, and for the first 35% I really had nobody to root for, so this story was almost a DNF for me.
Also, we have an empire that spans countless parallel universes and includes a diverse variety of "selves", who manage to coexist even though some of them evolved from primates, others from wolves/cats, and even others from herbivores. But that empire itself is a repressive regime, where the only political actions seem to be strike first and annihilate the (possible) treat and ask questions never. Are you telling me that with all the bright minds available in all the multiverse, the Pandominion couldn't come up with a better form of government?
Why is it that this mighty and very technologically advanced empire didn't even try to communicate with the machines when they stumbled upon the mechanical civilization? Seriously, not a single attempt at communication was even considered. Or, you know, just leaving them alone. There are infinite Earths in this multiverse, so why not just blacklist this particular one and go explore somewhere else? No, the solution is to invade and annihilate. Without provocation, mind you. And they wonder why they get pushback? Or that they are being destroyed in response?
Finally, even though this book is about 500 pages long, it doesn't even resolve part of the story that is hinted at in the first chapters. It just sets up the stage and brings all the main characters together. Yes, I understand that this is the first book in a series, and that there is an overarching story. But you need to give the reader some kind of payoff for investing hours of their time into this book. At least one story arc should have been satisfyingly concluded by the end of this book. Unfortunately, it wasn't. And honestly? I won't stick around for book 2 to find out what happens to the Pandominion.
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Now this is a fairy tale retelling done right! It doesn't try to outdo the original, just takes that inspiration and creates sometStars: 4.5 out of 5.
Now this is a fairy tale retelling done right! It doesn't try to outdo the original, just takes that inspiration and creates something new and very readable with it.
I loved the village of Greymist Fair and the atmosphere of mystery and even foreboding the author created for this place and the villagers. Imagine a village in the middle of a dense forest with only one road leading to it and back out. That's already claustrophobic enough. But now add to that the fact that there are rumored to be monsters in the forest, and those who wander under the trees rarely come back alive. Oh, and that road to the village? It can take hours, or it can take days to travel, and some travelers never find Greymist Fair at all.
The author managed to convey the magical feeling that I absolutely love in fairy tales, and she also understands the cardinal rule of those tales - no matter how fantastical the world or the events happening in it, there must be internal rules to that world that everything follows. And if those rules are broken, there must be an explanation as to why and how. Like the ever-flowering tree branch that protects the wearer from Death, or the shoes instilled with magic that allow the person to outrun Death and its wargs.
The characters are less important here than the story they are part of, but I still had fun following along with them. The story is also not told in chronological order, with subsequent stories often going back in time and shedding more light on events mentioned or implied in previous stories, but the whole paints a fascinating canvas of a village at war with Death, even if the villagers don't realize that. See, the forest around the village is Death's domain, and so was this village at one point, until something happened and Death was denied entrance.
I loved the fact that this conflict was resolved not with violence, but with forgiveness and acceptance. The main message of this story is that we are all social animals, and that even entities like Death can be lonely and long for companionship. And that it is always better to show acceptance and love to others instead of prejudice and violence. That's a message we should hear more often today.
It's a well written and heartfelt story with a beautiful message, and I would highly recommend it.
PS: I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a refreshingly good YA ghost story. And no romance of any kind in sight, so thank god.
Can you imagine being a kid and beinStars: 4 out of 5.
This was a refreshingly good YA ghost story. And no romance of any kind in sight, so thank god.
Can you imagine being a kid and being able to see ghosts? Not only see ghosts, but be able to cross the Veil into that strange in-between world where they reside? And also to be compelled to do that even when you don't really want to? And not being able to talk about it to anyone, because even though your parents are famous ghost researchers, they don't actually believe that ghosts exist. Kinda ironic, when their daughter knows for a fact that they do, and her best friend is one.
I really loved our protagonist Cassidy. She is smart and capable, but also flawed and a typical teenager in some ways. But when she is faced with hard choices and horrible things, she does everything she can to make things right and to fight for her own freedom and her life.
I also liked her relationship with Jacob and how they always have each other's back. I'm glad that she has at least one friend that she can confide in, even though nobody else can see him.
The story itself was sufficiently creepy and atmospheric. I lived for a year in Edinburgh, so I can attest that the author managed to capture the essence of the old city perfectly. Made me nostalgic in fact. Well, for the sights and ambiance of Edinburgh, not for the weather.
I would have loved to have a little more interaction between Cass and the other girl who has the same gift. Their time together was very short, and I feel like they never got a chance to really talk.
I am looking forward to picking up the next book in the series and discovering more about Cass' gift and what it means to her relationship with Jacob. Oh, and visiting another haunted city.
Sometimes you pick up a book because you like the cover or the blurb and discover a hidden gem. This is what happened to me with EmpiStars: 4 out of 5
Sometimes you pick up a book because you like the cover or the blurb and discover a hidden gem. This is what happened to me with Empire of Exiles. I haven't read other books by this author, so this book was a surprise hit for me. Now I have a new series to look forward to and a new author to follow!
I loved how complex and "lived in" this world feels. There is history there. There is a past. The different races feel distinct but also plausible, with their own religions, philosophies and physical attributes that don't feel shoehorned into the story just for the sake of diversity. I would love to explore Semilla more in future books.
The empire itself is an interesting construct. Like the title of the book says, it's an empire of exiles or of refugees, since all the races who call it home fled their native lands facing extermination by a common enemy - the changelings. Desperation and the threat of extermination are sure to force people to cooperate, but I love what they created out of the ashes. An empire that assimilated all these religions and philosophies and let them coexist.
This world wouldn't be as memorable if it wasn't populated by such vivid characters. I loved all of the protagonists in this story. They felt real. Sure, they had their quirks and their moments of weakness, but they always felt like people. I couldn't help but feel Quill's pain and confusion when his best friend dies in front of him after committing a crime that was completely out of character for him. I rooted for Amadea the more I discovered the depth of horror her childhood has been. Seriously, how did she manage to piece herself together and remain a functional human being after everything she'd been subjected to? I loved all the specialists in the archives and was truly worried about them when their affinities seemed to overwhelm them.
Speaking of the Archives, what a wonderful concept! A central repository of all the knowledge those fleeing nations brought to Semilla when they arrived ahead of a horde of changellings. Where all scrolls, works of art, religious text and everything else is perfectly preserved for future generations.
The magical system is also rather unique. I would like to learn more about it in future books. Especially what differentiates a specialist from a sorcerer, and is that what Yinnii is now? How would that affect the rest of her life?
My only complaint about this book is that the budding love stories feel forced. I mean, there is way too much blushing and stuttering during conversations. I would understand that from teenagers like Quill and Yinnii, but Amadea is in her thirties, so why does she behave like a hormonal teenager who never had a crush? That read so false that it took me out of the story.
Other then that small complaint though, I absolutely loved this book. I can't wait to explore this world more in the next installments. There are still a lot of questions left unanswered, after all. Like is the world behind the Salt Wall really as desolate as we are lead to believe? What really happened with the changellings? What was the Usurper's endgame and why did he need Amadea for it? I'm definitely picking up the next book.
PS: I received an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
Zombie books are my guilty pleasure, though finding a good book in a sea of mediocre if abundant offerings is usually an epic quest Stars: 3 out of 5.
Zombie books are my guilty pleasure, though finding a good book in a sea of mediocre if abundant offerings is usually an epic quest of its own. This is a middle of the road book, as far as zombie fare goes. It's sufficiently well written that it kept me interested, and the characters weren't so cringe as to want me to gauge my eyes out.
I was attracted to this book by the description - that we would follow this epidemic through the eyes of one of the victims after they were cured. That's not an approach I've seen before in zombie books. Usually authors assume that's once you are a zombie, there is not turning back. So that's something I was really looking forward to exploring.
What happens in a world that got decimated by a zombie-like virus where people became ravenous mindless monsters, but then were cured? I was looking for an exploration of trauma and guilt.
I was looking forward to see how these people would try to reintegrate back into society. How would they behave when reuniting with surviving family? Trying to piece their lives back after the horrors seen and committed? What are the after-effects of this prion virus? Physical, mental, etc.? It seems like the infected aren't walking corpses, yet they don't die unless you shoot them in the head, even when they chewed themselves up to pieces.
Unfortunately, the author chose not to explore that at all. We have a road movie instead, with our characters trying to make it to Pennsylvania through hostile country where Normals are more likely to shoot the former Biters on sight than help them. Why are they going there? That's not explained.
Why did the government just let the cured Biters go without any control or supervision? They know that the cure is not 100% effective and that relapse is possible. Yet they are let loose in a desert with the orders to report to the nearest registration center within 74 hours or they will be shot on sight. Where are those centers? Who knows. How they are going to make it there with 99 dollars and no transportation? Not the government's problem. To say that I have questions is an understatement.
Maybe there will be more explanation in Season 2, but so far this is a an okay-ish zombie story that's better written than most. Plus, it's only 100-some pages long, so it's a quick read....more
There is a good book hidden somewhere in there. Unfortunately, it's buried under tons of overwritten plot and bad characteStars: 2 out of 5
DNF at 45%.
There is a good book hidden somewhere in there. Unfortunately, it's buried under tons of overwritten plot and bad characterization. It feels like this story isn't quite done yet. It need more time to "cook" in the author's head, or maybe a strong developmental edit.
The premise is fascinating: a whole planet shattered by a cataclysm that left it in chunks. Yet somehow life still exists there. There is atmosphere and gravity even if that revolves around the "islands" - floating bits of planet. There are five "gods" that remade their respective people in some ways to facilitate their adaptation to this new environment. And these deities are not fictional. They exist, they interact with others sometimes. There is a mysterious ring and some even more mysterious aliens. And the crew of a smuggler's ship caught in the middle of all of that. Sounds interesting? Sounds like lots of fun and action, doesn't it?
That promise kept me going for almost half the book. That's when I realized that the flaws of the book made it almost impossible to enjoy the story. I was skimming most of the chapters just to get to the juicy bits, but even those weren't enough to keep me interested.
This book is horribly overwritten - I don't need descriptions of what every character is wearing and all the weapons they have unless it's relevant to the story. And while yes, I'm interested about how Sub Rosa was founded, I don't need 6 pages of exposition about it. This kills the momentum and makes the book a chore to read.
The other problem is the extremely stilled and unnatural dialogue. The characters don't talk like people. In fact, most of the time, the characters barely talk. The protagonist talks and assumes what her crew is about to say from their posture or the look in their eyes, when they barely said a word or two before she interrupts them. This is extremely irritating and makes the protagonist look unstable, even unhinged sometimes. Prone to mood swings and quick to lash out... without any provocation.
This impression comes from the fact that the author tells us everything, but is very bad at showing it. So the author tells us that the crew is being insubordinate and even disrespectful, but nothing in the scene actually "shows" us that. Half the time, when I read those scenes, I came away confused - exactly why did the protagonist lash out? Nothing in the dialogue provoked that response. I don't really want to follow a character I don't like and can't understand.
All of these flaws just kept adding up and by the time I decided to say goodbye to the book, I was just not getting any enjoyment out of the experience.
PS: I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
All in all, this was a good collections of short stories. Some I liked more than others, like the Father of War. But then again, iStars: 3.5 out of 5.
All in all, this was a good collections of short stories. Some I liked more than others, like the Father of War. But then again, it had dogs, so of course it's my favorite! Dogs make every story better. Cats too.
I would say that the ending for some stories felt rather abrupt, especially the first one and Killer Eyes. It's like the author had a word quota he couldn't' go past for the stories, so once he reached it, the stories kind of stopped...
But all in all, this was rather enjoyable and served a good pallet cleanser between bigger books.
PS: I received an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
I watched the Netflix series based on these books and liked them, so I decided to check out the original works as well. Especially sStars: 5 out of 5.
I watched the Netflix series based on these books and liked them, so I decided to check out the original works as well. Especially since there was a lot less backstory and worldbuilding in the tv series then I would have liked. Well, I'm glad I picked up the books, even if they are technically YA. This is quality storytelling, and I loved every minute of it.
I also noticed that while the tv series follow the first book almost word for word when it comes to the events that happen, they are a lot less effective at describing the character motivations. I honestly thought that Lockwood was a pretentious ass when I watched the series. And an ass who constantly puts others in danger to boot. Well, I'm glad to say that he isn't like that in the books. Reckless, yes. Excitable - definitely. But also brilliant, smart, and with nerves of steel. I actually liked his character in the book while in the tv series I found him mildly irritating at best.
Same goes for George. The way he is and the way he behaves in the book is much more natural than how they portrayed him in the series. And I'm not against race-swapping characters, but they could have found an actor who fit George's description a bit better. After all, the fact that he is overweight and not particularly handsome weights heavily on his character and his behavior. That's where a lot of his insecurities come from. And that opportunity was completely lost in the tv series.
Also, is it me, or is the book a lot more scary and more... cinematic, shall we say? I mean the Red Room episode in the series just made me shrug, but when I was reading about it in the book, I literally had shivers. That whole night in the most haunted house in England was extremely well-written. And showed all the team members at their best, especially Lockwood and Lucy. The whole Annie Ward story was also better presented than in the TV series, in my opinion.
I also loved that we get a lot more backstory on the Problem and more examples of the Visitors, as well as how everyday life is in a world where nights aren't safe, and ghosts that the majority of the population can't see can still seriously harm and even kill them. I would like to know more about this. I also would like to know if this Problem is only local to England or if it spread to the rest of Europe as well. It was mentioned that it had started in London and was slowly spreading into more rural parts of the country over the last fifty years, so maybe it hasn't made it across the Channel just yet.
I'm sure I will get answers to at least some of my questions if I continue with the series, which I most certainly will!...more
This was going to be a solid 4 or 5 stars book until about 50% into the story. The setup was wonderful. Old manor that usStars: 2 out of 5.
DNF at 75%.
This was going to be a solid 4 or 5 stars book until about 50% into the story. The setup was wonderful. Old manor that used to be an abbey, the moors and the fog, the cold and unwelcoming servants, and a mysterious library... What is there not to like about this?
Unfortunately, things go downhill from there. And not in small part because of the protagonist's actions. For someone who constantly says that she doesn't need anyone to take care of her, because she was doing that just fine on her own, thank you very much, she sure makes a lot of stupid decisions.
Like not heeding the warnings of her staff about the library, or about associating with certain people. Like trusting a man who she doesn't really know from Adam, just because he was nice to her and likes talking about books. Like accepting his marriage proposal after barely knowing him a few weeks and going on a couple dates. Especially when even she notices his unhealthy fixation on her library... just because she is lonely and feels unappreciated. Strong independent woman, yeah right.
That's the major problem with this book. No matter how much the author tries to show Ivy taking some action, and making some decisions, like organizing a book lending club, she isn't an active player in this story. She doesn't push the story forward. None of her actions progress anything. Things happen to her. In essence, she has no agency in this story at all. I understand that it was supposed to convey her dismay and confusion at progressively loosing her memories, but it misses the mark here, in my opinion. She comes across and pathetic and helpless, yet also stubborn and pigheaded when she shouldn't be. She gives up all resistance the moment she encounters any difficulty.
For example, when she finds her journals shredded, she immediately abandons the idea of keeping a diary of her days. I would immediately create another diary and keep it on my person at all times, and yes, continue to write down everything that happens. She just sweeps all the evidence into the fire and doesn't even confront her staff about this... or go to town and call her friend Susan, or do anything but continue to flounder in bewilderment.
This might work for some readers, but this passivity made the book more and more boring to me. To the point that I started skimming ahead to see if Ivy would even try to fight for he freedom and sanity, but by 75% of the book she was just as pathetic - a prisoner in her own home... And I didn't care to find out what would happen in the end. So I gave up.
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I haven't read any of the original books in the Aliya War series prior to this one. So this was my introduction to the series and theStars: 4 out of 5
I haven't read any of the original books in the Aliya War series prior to this one. So this was my introduction to the series and the universe the author created, and I must admit that I am hooked.
The world is interesting and well thought-out. I love the idea that instead of terraforming different planets, humanity would modify themselves in order to survive in different environments encountered outside of Earth. Like being able to "shell-up" to survive up to 15 minutes in the hard vacuum for the Miners.
It was sad to see that just because humanity spread into the galaxy, the backstabbing and us vs. them mentality wasn't eradicated. This is not Star Trek. This is a harsh and ruthless world where humans don't hesitate to enslave other humans if the occasion presents itself.
The characters are usually what makes or breaks a book for me. It can have the best story in the world, but I won't enjoy it if I can't connect with at least one of the characters. I'm glad to say that all the characters are wonderful in this. I loved Iz and Kans, and Tahoma, and especially Kristen. I think there was criminally too little of him in this story though.
The bond between the siblings rang very true to me. I could feel and understand Iz's frustration with her brain-addled brother, but also a mixture of guilt, love, worry and everything else that comes with being an older sister who thinks that she is the reason Kansas is the way he is. Even though that's not true. She didn't cause the accident that killed their habitat. In fact, she is the one who went into the vacuum to save her little brother, even though she was also hurt herself. Even though she was only eleven when that happened. But guilt is a tricky thing that doesn't obey the arguments of reason.
I must admit that I was a bit frustrated with her by the end of the story though. Her absolute pigheadedness grated on my nerves. You are in a hostile environment that you have never experienced before. You don't know the dangers, yet you persist on charging blindly along and ignoring the advise of the natives. I wanted to slap her silly a few times, and I'm convinced that half of their problems on Earth could have been avoided had she listened to anyone other than herself.
Speaking of hostile environment and fish out of water moment, I loved how Iz's and Kans's reaction to being on a planet for the first time in their lives was handled. The things that we take for granted, like the fact that we can go outside and be able to breathe, are new to spaces who spend their lives on ships and space stations - enclosed spaces. For them, all this open space and sky is a source of panic. The feeling of the wind on their face makes them shell up because in space that sudden movement of air means a hole in the hull and precious air leaking into the vacuum. And the idea of eating meat from a butchered animal is a source of disgust.
I am not sure I was totally onboard with the budding love story between Tahoma and Iz though. I felt like it was not necessary, and it didn't feel natural. It was just kind of shoe-horned in there. The story worked fine even without adding this particular relationship. Especially since the author didn't really do anything with it in the end.
Like I said before, this is my first book by this author and in this series, but I will definitely check out the next one. PS: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
This book started so strong. The first chapter was intense and full of danger and tension... Unfortunately the rest of the book that I managDNF at 48%
This book started so strong. The first chapter was intense and full of danger and tension... Unfortunately the rest of the book that I managed to wade through before I gave up wasn't as good.
We start with a vicious attack and a young boy who lost everything in the space of a day, almost died, and discovered that he can rewind time. So he flees the city and vows to master his time-shifting gift enough to come back and save his family. Wonderful premise for what could have been a great story.
But that potential is wasted, because absolutely nothing happens for the next half of the book. Leones gets to the philosophers... and the story comes to a grinding halt. We have pages upon pages of Leones training with weapons, or drinking and gambling in an opium den, or just brooding around. He does nothing productive. He doesn't even explore the city he ended up with beyond the philosopher's gardens and the gambling dens. He doesn't try to find out what happened in the city he fled. He only uses his time rewinding ability when it's convenient for him. And he mops around and he feels sorry for himself. It's boring.
I think I wouldn't have been as boring if this part of the book was populated with interesting characters, but Leones is so self-absorbed that he barely pays attention to anyone besides himself, and only if those people can serve him in some shape or form. As a result, the other apprentices are barely described. I don't know anything about them beyond their names and physical appearance. And because Leones never bothers to ask, I don't know anything about their pasts or their aspirations. Heck, I don't even know what most of them do outside of the philosophers' gardens. As a result, they seem more like cardboard cutouts then real people that I should care about.
Even when Leones's maybe girlfriend is assassinated, which should be a big traumatic discovery for him, my reaction was very lackluster. Probably because Leones didn't particularly grieve for her either.
Speaking of which, Leones as a character didn't work for me at all. He is depicted as being completely detached from his feelings. He is either a sociopath, or so traumatized by what happened in chapter 1 that he can't allow himself to feel anything for anyone. If it's the later, it's not made clear enough in the book, so he comes across as self-absorbed, selfish, and unfeeling. Not a character I want to spend a whole book with.
By the time the action finally picked up in the book, and things were finally starting to happen, I realized that I simply wasn't interested enough to continue. I mean one of the characters seemed to have been erased from existence, but I couldn't' are less. So I decided to call it quits, because I didn't care how this story ended enough to invest any more time into it.
PS: I received an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I expected a tight thriller and murder mystery in space. Instead I got a high school trip vs junkies story on a new space colony.
And the prDNF at 25%.
I expected a tight thriller and murder mystery in space. Instead I got a high school trip vs junkies story on a new space colony.
And the premise itself is so stupid that I simply can't suspend my disbelief that much.
Instead of sending conducting an extensive geological, meteorological, and biological survey of the newly discovered planet, we will just throw a bunch of settlers on it and expect them to start a fully self-sustaining colony.
Oh and the first colonists will all be criminals with not many useful skills between them... and the second wave will be a group of boy and girl scouts barely out of high school. Surely they at least know how to operate the machines that will keep them alive and help build said colony? No? Cool, that's cool.
That's the perfect recipe for a successful colony! What can go wrong? Seriously, the person who came up with that mission plan on earth must have been high as a kite. End sarcasm.
Oh, and at a quarter of the book in, still no sign of the murder that is supposed to be at the center of this story. Sorry, I'm out.
PS: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review....more
This is the second book I try by these authors, and I am less then impressed once again. Though to tell the truth, this seems to be aStars: 1 out of 5
This is the second book I try by these authors, and I am less then impressed once again. Though to tell the truth, this seems to be a reprint of a much earlier work, which is probably why it is so bad. I mean, I gave Pattern Black 2 stars where this one barely scrapped a single one.
This book is tries very hard to be a cross between 1984, The Hunger Games, and the Walking Dead. Unfortunately, it does this very poorly, so neither of those three components really work. On a personal note, I was there for the zombies. Unfortunately, there are too little zombies in this book. They barely serve as a plot device. So that added to my disappointment with the book. If you come to it with a different lens, you might enjoy the battle of the "little man" against the tyrannical regime. I didn't.
Probably because those parts of the story are also rather poorly realized. Subtle this book is not. The author has to telegraph every action, every plot point, and every plot twist in the book. It's like he doesn't trust the reader to get it, unless he is hammered on the head with it. This gets annoying really fast. I can get a hint. I don't need everything spelled out for me.
It also devalues the events in the book, because that plot twist about City 7? That could have had such a big impact if it wasn't telegraphed from a high mountain several chapters ago.
I also couldn't care less about the characters, so nothing that happened to them was particularly shocking to me. I know I was supposed to root for Jonah in the Darwin Games, but I didn't know him from Adam at that time, so I didn't really care if he won or if Bear killed him. Honestly, the little we had of Bear's backstory made him a lot more compelling as a character.
And the least said about Ana, the better, because she is a typical YA dystopia heroine, and I stopped reading YA years ago precisely because I couldn't stand that stereotype.
I would also like to point out that this book is not a complete story. It ends in a cliffhanger. Nothing is resolved, nobody is saved or even achieved their goals. There is no resolution or even payout for investing hours of your time into this story. If you want to know what happens to the characters, you will have to pick up the next book, I guess. Unfortunately, I don't care enough to do so.
PS: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
I tried to give this book a fair chance, but when the first chapter starts with pages upon pages of exposition and an info-dump to recap thDNF at 15%.
I tried to give this book a fair chance, but when the first chapter starts with pages upon pages of exposition and an info-dump to recap the previous two books, my attention started faltering. Add to that stilted dialog and lifeless characters, and my interest with the story quickly went into the negatives.
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
Nope, this is definitely not for me. The science might be interesting and groundbreaking, but stilled dialog and one-dimensional characters DNF at 15%
Nope, this is definitely not for me. The science might be interesting and groundbreaking, but stilled dialog and one-dimensional characters are hard for me to stomach. Also, are you telling me that in the future we are still relying on the patriarchal stereotypes we have now? That we still objectify women? I'm out....more
Every once in a while, I pick up a military scifi book, because the description or the cover spoke to me. Also, just to see if I might likeDNF at 67%.
Every once in a while, I pick up a military scifi book, because the description or the cover spoke to me. Also, just to see if I might like it. With rare exceptions, like the Old Man's War by John Scalzi, those books are a disappointment. Unfortunately, this one will fall into that disappointment category as well.
What I want in the books I read is good characters that are interesting to follow (even if not necessarily likeable), and a good story that doesn't have too many glaring plot holes. A modicum of internal logic with the worldbuilding is also highly appreciated. As you can imagine, military scifi is a genre that is very light on all of those attributes.
This story is typical military scifi fare - light on worldbuilding and substance, but hey, we have cool giant robot suites for our protagonist to pilot. The protagonist is also a typical representative of the genre - a wisecracking smartass that is cooler and better at everything than anyone else in the book, despite his humble beginnings. He seriously can do no wrong.
The supporting cast is just as uninspiring. The men are either the protagonist's allies and then they are okay guys, or they are his enemies/competitor, in which case they are usually horrible human beings. The female characters are even worse off. They are defined solely by how attractive our protagonist finds them. Other than that, they have no function or personality on their own. But hey, we have cool combat robots! Once again, I proved to myself that no, I still don't like military scifi.
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
I'm sure there is a good story somewhere in there, since a lot of people seem to like this book. Unfortunately, I'm not engaged enough to stDNF at 25%
I'm sure there is a good story somewhere in there, since a lot of people seem to like this book. Unfortunately, I'm not engaged enough to stick around and find out.
I don't know if it's the style in which the story is told, or the fact that I could barely tolerate any of the characters which POVs I had to follow, but I just couldn't get into this book. Most of the characters are rather dislikeable and make plenty of stupid decisions just to keep the plot going. I also wasn't particularly engaged with the main mystery here - Jane's marks and why they are disappearing.
Heck, I started and finished 2 other books while I tried to read this and barely made it to 25%. I find myself constantly making excuses to read something else, so why torture myself?
PS: I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review....more
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