Feels a bit like "Murder on the Orient Express", except on a long-haul express train for interstellar travel with aliens. But not a very interesting tFeels a bit like "Murder on the Orient Express", except on a long-haul express train for interstellar travel with aliens. But not a very interesting take on it...
On the other hand, I only just saw that it is part of a series, that perhaps that is why I feel so uninvested in the characters. Regardless, I will not be finishing......more
Re-read this after many years, forgot how much I used to enjoy this series, though I did get frustrated how Inspector Monk basically fruitlessly asks Re-read this after many years, forgot how much I used to enjoy this series, though I did get frustrated how Inspector Monk basically fruitlessly asks a ton of questions for most of the book and gets nowhere until an epiphany at the end. It was still great to be reintroduced to Monk's bristling and unlikable personality, and him having to confront the fact that he didn't like himself very much even as he tried to figure out what the hell he had been doing before he lost his memory....more
Interesting concept but at the same time, the ending left me feeling underwhelmed. Maybe it was the bizarre way the author gave up on writing normal dInteresting concept but at the same time, the ending left me feeling underwhelmed. Maybe it was the bizarre way the author gave up on writing normal dialogue, and just had the murder suspect and the investigator read florid prose to each other in lieu of talking or interrogating like real people.
It also didn't quite push the concept in a satisfying way. The investigator was adamant about solving his case in a single day due to his lack of memory past that one day. But real cases rarely get to be finished so quickly, and this is when people have normal memories! Rushing a murder investigation like that made me kind of....lose respect for the investigator, and he was by far the most interesting character. But there was no tension involving his secrets, so I wasn't that invested in him either.
I didn't entirely believe the re-writing of history to incorporate the loss of memory either. I think such a deficit in memory after high school would be disastrous to society, and much of the know how required to create technological advancements (or even to run services, businesses, government, etc) can't just be re-learned every morning or two mornings so that you pick up where you last left off. I mean, when a new hire arrives to a job, it takes 4 months - 1 yr of on the job training to become proficient. Forget trying to do that with 1-2 days worth of memories! That means there's absolutely no one available to train because everyone is starting from scratch practically every day. Short of a futuristic society where the majority of life is provided by automation, this severe amount of memory deficit is simply too much to overcome so easily.
I originally thought this book was 3 stars, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like the concept was squandered with some rather lazy world building. The writing is serviceable for a standard investigative mystery, but don't expect a lot of tension or exploration of what really should have been a dystopia....more
2nd of four free ebooks I started and tossed during my lunch hour.
It's the first in the series but it feels like you are dropped in the middle of a si2nd of four free ebooks I started and tossed during my lunch hour.
It's the first in the series but it feels like you are dropped in the middle of a situation with little explanation or anticipation of a back story. Characters trot through and I feel myself unwilling to accept them. It's a shame, it's nice to have more Asian heroines in stories....more
Hovering between 2 and 3 stars. The writing is serviceable, but there is nothing special to it, in characters, pacing, flair, or tension. If I had notHovering between 2 and 3 stars. The writing is serviceable, but there is nothing special to it, in characters, pacing, flair, or tension. If I had nothing else to do, I'd read this through with no problem and no opinion. But I've got a lot of distractions right now and the due date to the library is coming up......more
Similar in experience to the first book, but this time I'm not interested in slogging through a writing style that doesn't captivate me when I have otSimilar in experience to the first book, but this time I'm not interested in slogging through a writing style that doesn't captivate me when I have other tasty books to read. Not to say that this couldn't be fun and interesting for another person; it definitely is light-hearted with comedic moments. But there isn't much tension and the mystery-solving is haphazard at best....more
The premise and talking about the story with my dad seems more interesting than actually reading the execution. A broke, recently divorced Roman doctoThe premise and talking about the story with my dad seems more interesting than actually reading the execution. A broke, recently divorced Roman doctor gets tricked by his ne'er-do-well friend to take up a post in the far edge of the Roman Empire (Britain), and in the process gets suckered into saving a slave girl.....and investigating a murder despite his attempts to avoid the responsibility. All because he was curious about the dead body and asked a few questions.
The mystery feels pretty tangled with discoveries made haphazardly and with leaps of logic (or perhaps were simply described in a confusing way). This is not surprising, considering how much effort the doctor puts in to avoid doing detective work (not his job!). Things more or less happen to him, and reading about his inability to budget properly and maneuver against his evilly bureaucratic boss sets my teeth on edge. The romance is rather odd-feeling because most of the books centers on the doctor, and not much on the girl. But the book moves quickly, and my dad called it "a delightful little book" despite it being a perfectly standard-sized hardcover. I'm inclined to be generous. :)...more
Servicable robot assassin/detective noir, but lacking a certain flair that makes me want to read the next book. The character building also leaves somServicable robot assassin/detective noir, but lacking a certain flair that makes me want to read the next book. The character building also leaves something to be desired, though I think it could be typical of the genre....more
Hmmmmm, very well written, with lyrical prose, great atmosphere, a gritty, oppressive enclosed world, and the struggles of prejudiced people trying toHmmmmm, very well written, with lyrical prose, great atmosphere, a gritty, oppressive enclosed world, and the struggles of prejudiced people trying to survive alongside each other. The places and races are made up, but from what I gather, the heroine and her people are East Asian, and her love interest and his people are Middle Eastern/Russian/ambiguous white. What bothers me is that the threat of rape is so prevalent in this world. Maybe it is because the slaughterhouse where the story takes place is practically a prison, with all of its workers literally slaves whose debts forever grow past their ability to work off, and with corrupt, perverts in charge, everyone below ends up taking on their filthy habits. Regardless, it sucks. The first couple of mentions worked with the story, but as I progressed into the latter half, I was ready to start castrating people. Arguably, karma comes around, but it is indiscriminate; like solving the terrorism problem by nuking the entire Middle East.
If you can stomach the rape threats, then the handling of everything else (strain between racial groups, mystery of the "ghost" haunting the factory, the love triangle, earning respect through actions, mounting tension of multiple threats to girl and well, everyone) is nuanced and well done....more
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