It was a somewhat interesting and fairly thorough exploration of what the early days (and decades) of setting up a society on Mars might look like, buIt was a somewhat interesting and fairly thorough exploration of what the early days (and decades) of setting up a society on Mars might look like, but the author tends to spend too much time with characters who are not interesting, nor up to anything dynamic and scenarios where nothing new is taking place. It feels like the book could be edited down to half the wordcount, if not a third, without losing either plot points or character moments....more
Bearing in mind that I have not read the previous books in the serious and that they only reason I started reading this book was because I had finisheBearing in mind that I have not read the previous books in the serious and that they only reason I started reading this book was because I had finished the one I had been reading, was on a plane, and this was the only unread book left on my kindle. Why it was on their in the first place, I do not know. The book was well-written, but it was very clear that i had missed a lot of stuff. This made little attempt to hide that it was the fourth part of a series. I will say having read only this in the series, the big problem that pops up about two-thirds of the way through the book felt contrived as if they had made it 200 pages and went, oops we don't have a climax for our story yet, so then they decided to throw something new in. And to be honest, the solution felt a bit contrived, too. Bringing in a character who no one else had interacted with up until this point and now he's going to solve all our problems. Maybe it feels more natural for someone who read the other books, but it all felt a bit tacked on. ...more
The story begins as a kind of book that I would not have picked up if that had been the entire thing. Then when it changes (trying not to give away anThe story begins as a kind of book that I would not have picked up if that had been the entire thing. Then when it changes (trying not to give away anything more than the official plot summary does) the first time, it's still a similar kind of story. That goes on for too long for my tastes. Then about halfway when it finally starts to clue the reader in to what's going on, almost everything after that feels like it's wasting time, as in why are we spending time with these plots that feel repetitive and we know can't go anywhere. They don't even seem to give us new information. The last, maybe, 40 pages are better, but by then I'm way past ready for this story to end. ...more
The book was long and it felt like it was longer. Many of the chapters read more like essays than narrative. The plot ended and then the book went on The book was long and it felt like it was longer. Many of the chapters read more like essays than narrative. The plot ended and then the book went on for about another 100 pages. The first half of the book feels way too real that this is the ecological horror we're already headed toward, but the progress they make in the second half, unfortunately feels like fantasy....more
I read the first part of the trilogy independently before reading the rest of it. This story is beautifully written and definitely has a different perI read the first part of the trilogy independently before reading the rest of it. This story is beautifully written and definitely has a different perspective than most other stories I've read. However, I think the major problem that kept me from fully enjoying the story is how the author inadequately explains the larger society that this story exists in. Who are the Khoush? Are they the dominant human culture now or are they just a small group that has dominion over Binti's people? If they're the dominant culture, how did that happen? If they're just one of many cultural groups, where are all the other human societies? The Khoush fight battles against an alien species and no one else steps in? The cohesiveness of the larger society doesn't seem to be there and, if it actually has been thought, the author seems uninterested in sharing even a few details that might help make it make sense....more
It was a good and interesting story, though there were terms that failed to define like "khoush" and "treeing" that kept me from being able to fully eIt was a good and interesting story, though there were terms that failed to define like "khoush" and "treeing" that kept me from being able to fully engage with the story. I know it's a novella as opposed to a full length story, but I feel the author should have taken more time to flesh out the larger society. I felt I had a much better grasp of Binti's people and of the alien Meduse, who are to some degree all "outsiders", than I did the larger culture which all felt very nebulous. ...more
I found the book read to me, especially in the first half, like a parody. I was prepared for things to be strange, but many of the strangeness didn't I found the book read to me, especially in the first half, like a parody. I was prepared for things to be strange, but many of the strangeness didn't seem to have any weight. It got better in the second half, but every now and again it would revert back to its goofiness for sake of goofiness....more
I don't normally mind long books, but it felt like seventy-eighty percent of this book could have been cut without affecting the plot one iota. I don't normally mind long books, but it felt like seventy-eighty percent of this book could have been cut without affecting the plot one iota. ...more
It was a good enough book. It's definitely a different view of war than you'd get practically anywhere else. But the speculative side of it doesn't hoIt was a good enough book. It's definitely a different view of war than you'd get practically anywhere else. But the speculative side of it doesn't hold up. Even though it starts in what is now the past, it jumps centuries and millennia into the future and the technology and culture does make the vast leaps that one would necessarily expect. However, the general politics of it was more progressive than I would have anticipated, including women in combat from the offset....more
For the most part an enjoyable book. I really liked the previous books for their new angle on interstellar conflict, but this book was almost entirelyFor the most part an enjoyable book. I really liked the previous books for their new angle on interstellar conflict, but this book was almost entirely set on one world with our protagonist stuck on a small raft and then a small island with nearly no communication to the rest of the world. That a society with interstellar travel couldn't get to Ky and her crew in less than several months when their basic location was known seemed a little unlikely, but I was willing to give the book the benefit of the doubt as clearly that was the scenario the author wanted to explore. It threatened with getting tedious at times, but usually whenever that happened the status quo changed and brought new life to the story. All in all, well worth the read....more
I read it. I finished it. I'm not sure I have any idea what happened in it.I read it. I finished it. I'm not sure I have any idea what happened in it....more
I highly enjoyed it. The book did an incredibly job of making me care about the success and failure of the main character. Thirty pages in and I'm alrI highly enjoyed it. The book did an incredibly job of making me care about the success and failure of the main character. Thirty pages in and I'm already feeling anxious. I have a few nitpicks like the bad guys turned out to be a little too outright evil and Wade may have been a little too competent. Still, I found it a very fun read....more
I guess I like this book the least of the trilogy. I was really intrigued by the opening that seemed to be opening up an almost sherlockian mystery, wI guess I like this book the least of the trilogy. I was really intrigued by the opening that seemed to be opening up an almost sherlockian mystery, why'd the super-intelligent AI kill itself, but as the story went on the thrust to discover the answer disappeared. In fact, as the story went along I found the entire thrust of the story to disappear. About three pages in, it felt like all the momentum of the story had gone away and I began to wonder why is this story still going. It picked up a little near the end, but I just feel relieved that this was the end of the series because I don't know if I have any interest in reading about these characters anymore....more
Enjoyable. It had some nice twists, though I found myself drawn more to the flashback then to the main story. I wish there had been more dealing with Enjoyable. It had some nice twists, though I found myself drawn more to the flashback then to the main story. I wish there had been more dealing with the syndicate characters as I found their characters more interesting as well as their circumstance....more
I feel like it was a little longer and ponderous than it needed to be, perhaps a bit too many moving part, but I generally enjoyed it. I particularly I feel like it was a little longer and ponderous than it needed to be, perhaps a bit too many moving part, but I generally enjoyed it. I particularly liked the unanticipated love story. Nothing felt false or cliche about it. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series....more
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