2.5 Stars I have read and enjoyed several of this author's novellas so I was hopeful this would be a favourite.
I found the prose to be pleasing. Howev2.5 Stars I have read and enjoyed several of this author's novellas so I was hopeful this would be a favourite.
I found the prose to be pleasing. However, I found the characters and worldbuilding to be underwhelming. I wanted to love this one but it was too vague for me to fully grasp and I found myself wanting more.
I think this author has a lot of potential but this story felt so undeveloped.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.0 Stars I adore this author's novel, 36 Streets, so I was eager to read another story by this author.
Like their previous work, this one is dark and 3.0 Stars I adore this author's novel, 36 Streets, so I was eager to read another story by this author.
Like their previous work, this one is dark and gritty. The narrative is fast paced and thrilling. Personally, I wish the novella slowed down a touch because I wanted more character development and world building. Instead, this high octane ride was fast and furious. It was an easy pageturner but it felt too surface level to leave much of an impression on me.
That being said, I would still look definitely read more by this author as I see a lot of potential.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars The premise of this novella is so cliche yet in this author's hands, the execution felt fresh.
I have read/watched so many murderous robots s4.0 Stars The premise of this novella is so cliche yet in this author's hands, the execution felt fresh.
I have read/watched so many murderous robots so many times but this hit differently. This one has very little action but instead follows the slow investigation.
The robot at the center of the story is technically emotionless which makes for a flat presentation. I felt it fit the narrative so I was more forgiving of this aspect than usual. I previously have said that I don't find this author to be exceptional at writing characters so I didn't expect to find a complex protagonist here. Instead I read this for the quirky narrative that is explored in this futuristic world.
If you love stories exploring worlds with artificial intelligence then I would recommend this one.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars This is one of those cases where the sequel is even stronger than the first book. I liked the worldbuilding in the Surviving Sky but I felt t4.0 Stars This is one of those cases where the sequel is even stronger than the first book. I liked the worldbuilding in the Surviving Sky but I felt there was room for growth.
I was happy that this second book resolved a lot of my quibbles with the previous novel. The characters felt more developed with stronger with a more well fleshed out world.
I enjoyed the plot progression in this one and look forward to the next volume when it is released.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.0 Stars I have read and enjoyed a few different books by this author so I was eager to read their newest release. The premise is interesting, but the3.0 Stars I have read and enjoyed a few different books by this author so I was eager to read their newest release. The premise is interesting, but the author's choice of tone did not entirely work for me. The narrative is very light hearted and at times silly. I found it hard to provide an objective review given the fact that I don't tend to love these goofy stories. There was some enjoyable sections of the narrative, but ultimately I found this one not to my tastes and fairly forgettable.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
This is a new release from the same author who wrote The Lost Fleet series. I enjoyed the first book for the most part, but I choose to continue on with the series. So if you absolutely love the author’s previous series, you may enjoy this series more than me.
This was a easy space opera with likeable, if not simple, characters. The plot moves quickly, making this for a fun fast read. Personally I wanted more meat from this story because the stakes felt low. I prefer stories with more weight since those serious elements tend to hook me in and keep me engrossed.
This is the start of a series and I would potentially continue as it offers a light escapist experience.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.0 Stars This is an action driven sci fi thriller. It's not the kind of science fiction I would normally pick up on my own if I wasn't judging the SPS3.0 Stars This is an action driven sci fi thriller. It's not the kind of science fiction I would normally pick up on my own if I wasn't judging the SPSFC.
This one is very dialogue and action heavy but I felt it was shy in terms of worldbuilding and character development. These are the elements that tend to really make me fall in love with a story. As an action story, this one fit the bill but I personally wanted something more from the novel
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.5 Stars I enjoyed the concept of this indie science fiction novel. Perhaps it's not revolutionary but the premise really grabbed me.
In terms of overa3.5 Stars I enjoyed the concept of this indie science fiction novel. Perhaps it's not revolutionary but the premise really grabbed me.
In terms of overall execution, I liked this one but the narrative felt narrower than I wanted. The story focused on small interactions in places where I would rather the author backed up and spent more time on the wider worldbuilding.
Overall, I liked this one but felt the author could have pushed further to create a bigger story.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.0 Stars This one had an interesting premise and start, but I found the full experience a bit underwhelming. The idea was good but the actual executio3.0 Stars This one had an interesting premise and start, but I found the full experience a bit underwhelming. The idea was good but the actual execution was not as interesting as I would have liked. The story was just not as memorable as I hoped it would be.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
4.0 Stars As someone who enjoys a good gritty thriller, this one was right up my alley. I worried it might not appeal as much to other sci fi readers w4.0 Stars As someone who enjoys a good gritty thriller, this one was right up my alley. I worried it might not appeal as much to other sci fi readers who don't share my love for dark fiction. However this one is well regarded among the other SPSFC judges so that appears not to be an issue.
I enjoyed this fast paced narrative. It feels like a cliche to call a book a pageturner, but the description fits here. I blasted through this book in a day because it was so addictive. The use of VR technology was not the most unexpected but it's the kind of plot I enjoy reading.
I would received this one to readers who love a dark sci fi thriller as much as I do.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
2.5 Stars I generally liked the narrative structuring of this novel. In terms of the premise, it had an intriguing premise but I didn't find myself ove2.5 Stars I generally liked the narrative structuring of this novel. In terms of the premise, it had an intriguing premise but I didn't find myself overly invested in the actual story.
I found the characters to be flat and, despite a formatting choice I usually enjoy, I never felt a sense of suspense. I could appreciate pieces of this one but a lot of the story choices left me underwhelmed.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.0 Stars Post apocalyptic is a challenging subgenre to get right, especially post 2020. I feel like I've read so many similar stories before and it's 3.0 Stars Post apocalyptic is a challenging subgenre to get right, especially post 2020. I feel like I've read so many similar stories before and it's challenging to find a fresh angle.
I found this one to be a fine post apocalyptic story but ultimately very familiar, leaning heavily into tropes. I would primarily recommend this one to readers who love this subgenre and are looking for more.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
4.0 Stars I know some readers steer away from longer works of fiction but I have come to enjoy sinking deeply into a story.
As someone fascinated by dar4.0 Stars I know some readers steer away from longer works of fiction but I have come to enjoy sinking deeply into a story.
As someone fascinated by dark fiction, I enjoyed the grittiness of this story. The tone of this one was much more serious and mature compared to the other pieces of indie sci fi I have been reading recently.
I also felt that the writing was quite strong. Not poetic or overly complex, but a style never felt amateurish.
I would recommend this one to science fiction readers looking for a meaty, darker story.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.0 Stars This is a fast paced piece of science fiction. Admittedly this is the kind of action packed sci fi thriller that I wouldn't normally pick up 3.0 Stars This is a fast paced piece of science fiction. Admittedly this is the kind of action packed sci fi thriller that I wouldn't normally pick up so I'm not the target audience.
For the subgenre, I thought it was fairly well done and generally delivers what it promises. The writing and subsequent dialogue is quite casual, which is not my personal preference. I would have preferred a more complex futuristic execution of these ideas. That being said, I think this book will satisfy readers who don't share my reading tastes.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.5 Stars I am enjoying this military science fiction series. At time, the story reads as very traditional military fiction which isn't necessarily my 3.5 Stars I am enjoying this military science fiction series. At time, the story reads as very traditional military fiction which isn't necessarily my thing, but then the supernatural elements would come back and I was hooked again.
I have already read the third book but I look forward to rereading it because in my opinion the series just gets better with each book.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
This is a strange one to review because I read book three before book one. I loved where the series goes so I was interested to see how the series got there. I enjoy the narrative although I would describe it as a dryer storytelling style.
This one is set closer to our present day and feels more reminiscent of the sci-fi movies like Independence Day. It focuses on the interplay between the countries. I prefer more large scale space based military stories so this one worked less for me.
However I loved some of the ending reveals of this book which lead into the narrative I loved in book three. I look forward reading book two to see how it bridges together.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars This is the kind of sci novel full of ideas that I enjoy, but won't be for everyone.
With the Chinese cultural focus, it did remind me slight4.0 Stars This is the kind of sci novel full of ideas that I enjoy, but won't be for everyone.
With the Chinese cultural focus, it did remind me slightly of The Three Body Problem, but I shouldn't make that comparison because they aren't the exact same which will lead some readers to be disappointed.
This novel is not perfect. I felt like the narrative was a bit uneven if the author trying to squeeze in so many ideas. However I kept finding myself liking those ideas and so not minding the narrative shifts.
I would recommend this one to sci fi readers who read for the concepts rather than perfect plot and characters. If you are looking for new translated science fiction, this would be an excellent choice....more
This is a companion novella within the science fiction fantasy series that starts with Dark Theory. I loved the first book and so I was interested to read more within this world.
I liked this one, but since it's not required reading within the series, I found myself overly aware that the story wasn't critical to the larger story. I found myself wanting to continue on with the main story with the second book, rather than segway to this additional story. To be fair to the author, I feel this way about virtually every companion novella.
The writing remains consistently strong with this author. This one has an entertaining self contained story with an interesting plot and complex characters. It felt long enough to be fully fleshed out and satisfying.
Perhaps it's not entirely fair to criticize a book for not being something it was never marketed to be. Again, I really enjoy this series but my interest remains with the main story first and foremost.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
This is very much a case of a series that becomes stronger with time. I enjoyed the earlier installments in this series but I still had some criticisms.
This most recent book addressed so many of those previous issues. As the second to last book in the series, this one was filled with important plot and character development as the author speeds towards the finale. It felt more like a space opera, rather than sci fantasy.
I look forward to the finale book to see how this author pulls it all together in the end....more
This was such an incredibly unique book. I loved how this work of fiction read as fact. The imagined world was lush and well fleshed out. The diagrams and pictures were detailed and often breathtaking. I highly recommend this strange book for anyone looking to get lost in another world....more
Rachel (TheShadesofOrange)
>
Books:
science-fiction
(610)
Loading...
