The reader's voice is too quiet (I listen when walking outside), and my eye muscles got tired from all the rolling they had to do over the way Jainan The reader's voice is too quiet (I listen when walking outside), and my eye muscles got tired from all the rolling they had to do over the way Jainan and Kiem just spent half the book misunderstanding what the other was saying and doing. Still, there's a rousing and well told conspiracy tale spiced with murder and high stakes to anchor the love story, and (spoiler alert) just deserts are served out all round by the feel good end....more
Fun near future sf, with high density technical detail, heroic exploits in space, and some but not a lot of sex or profanity. Not strongly interested Fun near future sf, with high density technical detail, heroic exploits in space, and some but not a lot of sex or profanity. Not strongly interested in the sequels, though, since it’s pretty clear how they’ll go. ...more
Telisa, Magnus and the alien set out for the alien's devastated planet to recover a powerful artifact. A big drop in quality from the opener: the authTelisa, Magnus and the alien set out for the alien's devastated planet to recover a powerful artifact. A big drop in quality from the opener: the author starts up a subplot about Telisa's father tracking her down and then abruptly, arbitrarily drops him from the story (apparently); there are a number of detailed VR rehearsals for various exploits that do absolutely nothing to advance the plot or provide insight into the characters; the eventual expedition down to the surface and below is a succession of encounters with inscrutable seemingly random alien creatures and structures so protracted that I became bored and just started skimming...and that's the climax! I'll start the next episode, I guess....
Merged review:
Telisa, Magnus and the alien set out for the alien's devastated planet to recover a powerful artifact. A big drop in quality from the opener: the author starts up a subplot about Telisa's father tracking her down and then abruptly, arbitrarily drops him from the story (apparently); there are a number of detailed VR rehearsals for various exploits that do absolutely nothing to advance the plot or provide insight into the characters; the eventual expedition down to the surface and below is a succession of encounters with inscrutable seemingly random alien creatures and structures so protracted that I became bored and just started skimming...and that's the climax! I'll start the next episode, I guess.......more
Just a little...grimm (but ends pretty happily, so there's that). The audio version does have some issues--it's often a bit quiet for easy outdoor lisJust a little...grimm (but ends pretty happily, so there's that). The audio version does have some issues--it's often a bit quiet for easy outdoor listening, and since there are no transitions it sometimes takes a while to tell that the narrator has switched POV--but overall a fine story, well presented. It was fun trying to catch all the folk tale motifs and references...I'm sure I missed a bunch....more
I guess that with the breadth of vision, the heavy cargo of received and speculative science, diverse cast, and exotic setting on display here it's peI guess that with the breadth of vision, the heavy cargo of received and speculative science, diverse cast, and exotic setting on display here it's petty to whine about the lack of plot--but sheesh, sheaves of pages (literally hours in the audio edition, I discovered) go by with nothing happening except one character or another analyzing themselves and fretting about the effects of the anti-aging treatment while living for years on the lam. And then, instead of a climax after all that psychoanalysis and fussing about memory loss what do we get? References to battles in other places, but on center stage a....looong....steady....foot march....away from a natural disaster. I'm going to start the last volume...but don't know how long I'll last if it turns out to be more of the same....more
Great fun...though about 40% of this is about a relationship between a superwarrior and a gender fluid trainee with a special taste for kinky sex, andGreat fun...though about 40% of this is about a relationship between a superwarrior and a gender fluid trainee with a special taste for kinky sex, and that's too much. (For me, anyway) Will be happy to dig into any future stories involving any of these characters.
Some choice lines:
"What about the parasite? Are you going to fight that next?" I was imagining a titanic space battle with some sort of stellar whale-kraken-worm." "It's a horrible giant energy being that lives inside a star," Vivy said. "I punch aliens, but that's not an alien on a punchable scale.""
"Whoa. You've got a bag of holding?" "Nerd. It's just a miniature spacial gate."
I blinked. "You're a lawyer as well as an...autonomous killbot?" "I am a whole swarm of lawyers," Swarm said. "Which is way more terrifying than a mere army of killbots."
"My therapist once said to me....you're a bomb-thrower, Vivy. I think it was meant to be a criticism, but to tell you the truth it was one of the few moments on my home world when I actually felt seen and understood."...more
Potentially a powerful story about (as the author says at the end) the damage blindly following a charismatic leader can cause--but her decision to tePotentially a powerful story about (as the author says at the end) the damage blindly following a charismatic leader can cause--but her decision to tell the story by interleaving flashback and current action chapters rather than going with a chronological narrative only had the annoying effect of jolting me out of the main track. I found that the only way I could continue reading was to skip or skim the flashbacks...knowing in advance where Zenya was heading and what would happen to her just killed all the suspense....more
The climactic confrontation with the aliens seemed a bit clipped and way too easy…but that’s a minor cavil for such a grand, funny, dramatic, and deceThe climactic confrontation with the aliens seemed a bit clipped and way too easy…but that’s a minor cavil for such a grand, funny, dramatic, and decent close to a ditto series....more
Well, this has it’s moments (see choice lines below), and I guess it’s really a literary tour de force…..but I found much of it simply unreadable.
“He Well, this has it’s moments (see choice lines below), and I guess it’s really a literary tour de force…..but I found much of it simply unreadable.
“He was ushered into another expansive chamber, its ceiling painted with scenes of philosophers, artists, scientists, and journalists engaged in traditional pursuits such as drinking, arguing, editing, and drinking.”
“They started upwards, but the clatter of metal feet suggested that any progress in that direction would meet with a fatal filing incident at the hands of a combative squad of librarians.”
“Alternatively, what if, even as you replace everyone with robots that are cheaper and quicker and less likely to join a union or complain about working conditions, you also continue to insist that individual value is tied to production, and everyone who’s idle is a parasite scrounging off the state?”...more
Excellent audio version of a tale chock full of clever twists and prognostications and, for all the lighthearted Arthurian riffs, with a rather cerebrExcellent audio version of a tale chock full of clever twists and prognostications and, for all the lighthearted Arthurian riffs, with a rather cerebral epistemological bent. I would deduct a half-star for the way two significant characters--a wizard and a dog--just abruptly drop out of sight...but have faith that they will reappear should the author be moved to produce sequels. And I hope that happens....more
Hilarious in some spots, tragic in others...rarely have I enjoyed listening to a book so much. Not sure I understood the ending, quite, but the story Hilarious in some spots, tragic in others...rarely have I enjoyed listening to a book so much. Not sure I understood the ending, quite, but the story is good enough to carry it....more
I thought he was too brutal with his protagonist and he didn't stick the landing, which is way too tidy and convenient--but overall I think this one fI thought he was too brutal with his protagonist and he didn't stick the landing, which is way too tidy and convenient--but overall I think this one features a strong cast and characters in an uncommonly rich setting. Looking forward to the sequels. Two of the three main speaking characters (and another with no dialogue) being women, a female narrator was a good choice, and Janina Edwards does a fine job of differentiating everyone's voices in an uncontrived way....more
Re-read in audio format. Still a rare feel-good story, and it holds up pretty well, except maybe for all the male-gaze feminism coming in at the climaRe-read in audio format. Still a rare feel-good story, and it holds up pretty well, except maybe for all the male-gaze feminism coming in at the climax. ...more
The thick plottens...though it's still hard to see where the story is going. At least by the end all the good guys are together on a boat, headed for The thick plottens...though it's still hard to see where the story is going. At least by the end all the good guys are together on a boat, headed for the bad guys. Though the reader is competent I think the story is a little slow for audio, and will read the sequels in another format....more
More intrigues, battles, battles with dragons, and wheels within wheels as our heroes grow in number and discover how they've been outwitted by the baMore intrigues, battles, battles with dragons, and wheels within wheels as our heroes grow in number and discover how they've been outwitted by the bad (?) guy. The cast is huge but it's a little easier to keep track of who's who since there isn't any major shapechanging. Like the first volume the author uses a clever narrative device deliver the tale--here having most of it read from a journal by two pov characters until the back story catches up with the plot just in time for a climax. ...more
Bogged down in volume three, so just read the first and last hundred pages of this to see how it all comes out. Had no problem at all keeping track ofBogged down in volume three, so just read the first and last hundred pages of this to see how it all comes out. Had no problem at all keeping track of who was who, and was able to stay interested until the end. A decent story and cast, but in my view zthe series needed to be about 1000 pages shorter…it just LAGGED so much there in the middle parts....more
Succumbed to reader fatigue about halfway through and skipped ahead to the climactic battle. I think readers more interested in the characters than thSuccumbed to reader fatigue about halfway through and skipped ahead to the climactic battle. I think readers more interested in the characters than the story might stay the course more easily; to me it was just chapter upon chapter of conversations among entities who had too many past lives and multiple identities to keep track of…with far too little action to keep the plot moving. The mosaic storytelling technique only made it all the more tedious for me. Am really hoping the fourth volume won’t be more of the same....more
Complex and clever worldbuilding, vividly rendered characters, and the alternating narrator bit worked (I had my doubts at first). But this really neeComplex and clever worldbuilding, vividly rendered characters, and the alternating narrator bit worked (I had my doubts at first). But this really needed a lot of concentration to read, because not only is said cast large but characters switch bodies, use alternate names, and in many cases have complex back stories with one another too. I will also say that the footnotes didn't really contribute anything, at least for me--not least because there was a technical problem and they often appeared as black on black even when I wasn't reading in night mode. Will happily go on to sequels....more
Here's a classic example of a book that could never be made into a good movie--but though what Card does with--or more properly, to--the gay characterHere's a classic example of a book that could never be made into a good movie--but though what Card does with--or more properly, to--the gay character is definitely a blot on its escutcheon as a story it is as grand, sweeping, and moving an epic as you could want. Competently performed in audio. ...more
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