About 25% in, not diggin it so far. It has all the tropes of fantasy, but they're just not coming together well for me. The characters are sort of bor...moreAbout 25% in, not diggin it so far. It has all the tropes of fantasy, but they're just not coming together well for me. The characters are sort of boring and fixated on one thing. Author uses weird transitions, like when a character is having an inner monologue, and the way he gets out of it and back into the story is to have the character say/think "but why am I thinking about that? I should be thinking of this other major plot point". Ug.
Finished it, and didn't like it. "It was ok" (the two-star rating) describes my feelings for it pretty well. There was too much going on, the characters blended together, the writing was clunky... And I kept hoping the characters he implied were dead had really died so that I wouldn't have to read about them again. I'm curious about the next book in the series... I really liked Dorian's character and I'm curious where he'll go. But the writing was so jarring that I don't know if I'll waste my time on it.
A couple things that bothered me (the ones I bothered to highlight):
"The chamberlain took him through a vast entry hall with dual stairs that climbed three stories flanking an enormous marble statue of two men, twins, facing each other in battle, each seeing the same opening in the other’s defense, each lunging." (It's like he forget to add commas, then realized it and made up for it in the last half of the sentence.)
"His memory was as sharp as the daggers that they’d once found under the royal pillows." (I rolled my eyes at that one)
"Kylar’s afternoon had been frantic. He’d had to get Logan to get someone else to get him an invitation" (to get to get to get to get to get)
"Silhouetted, black blood dripped from the tip of Retribution. Drip, drip. Durzo’s voice strained like bending steel. “Kylar, this is your last chance.”" (How does a voice sound like bending steel??? Also, last chance warnings are lame. And writing "drip drip" is also lame.)
"It seemed as if the black tattoos that all of them wore had torn free of their hands and were holding each other, pulsing with power. The wytches were sweating as if under tremendous strain. Water swelled as if an immense arrow were passing just under the surface of the sea" (as if as if as if as if as if as if...... oh, and wytches that practice magyk. That's how you know it's a Fantasy Book, because there are Y's in the words.)
Initial impression, 3 chapters in: ug. Just ug. I loved the Mistborn series, and I've heard good things about this as well, but so far the writing is...moreInitial impression, 3 chapters in: ug. Just ug. I loved the Mistborn series, and I've heard good things about this as well, but so far the writing is just terrible. We'll see if the storyline can redeem the writing.
Halfway through now, and I'm still bored out of my mind. The writing is bad, the plot is (so far) predictable. I'm only tolerating this because no less than 3 people (whose opinions I respect) have told me that the magic system in this book is incredibly inventive. But here I am halfway through and there's not been any explanation of the magic system yet... :(
About 3/4 through, and I'm still not interested. This book is taking FOREVER to read, considering the size of the book. Too predictable, the dialog is unbelievable: too quaint and sassy, with a lot of "oh, by the way" info dumps. Blech. Made it this far, may as well finish it. Can't believe this is the same author who did Mistborn and the final WOT books!
Finished. Oh my goodness was this horrible. The action didn't grab me, the characters sucked, everything was boring, and the "wonderful magic system" I've heard so much about was just sort of lame. Maybe it would have been cooler if the magic system had appeared before the last 15 pages of the book? (less)
I'm about 75% through this now. Bland bland bland. Irritating infodumps. Weird sex scenes (flying through the universe and seeing whales? really?). La...moreI'm about 75% through this now. Bland bland bland. Irritating infodumps. Weird sex scenes (flying through the universe and seeing whales? really?). Lame gods. A quest that feels like it was tacked on; Yeine seems to forget for chapters at a time that she's supposedly looking for revenge on her mother's killer. Would it have been so bad to just have her exploring her new world and she learns enough to piece together her mother's killer, instead of tacking on this quest?
Would be more appropriately marketed as a romance. This is not fantastical (aside from the presence of some gods), there is little (and very transparent) political scheming. Instead, the book focuses primarily on Yeine desiring a god and being filled by his god phallus.
The characters are so bland and interchangeable that I'm having problems telling them apart, especially Viraine and T'vril (I guess that's why this is considered a "fantasy", because there's an apostrophe in that name!).
Finished the book. Terrible. Just terrible. (less)
Hidden Empire, aka, OSC Takes Writing Lessons from Dan Brown. And also, the movie Outbreak.
I shall sum-up this book in one sentence: "Do the ends just...moreHidden Empire, aka, OSC Takes Writing Lessons from Dan Brown. And also, the movie Outbreak.
I shall sum-up this book in one sentence: "Do the ends justify the means?" That's the entire point of this book.
The idea for the story was ok, but the execution was bland at best, and often ventured into horrible territory. Having the benefit of reading this on my Kindle, I highlighted passages whenever they jolted me out of the book, and I've noted the main ones below.
1. So-and-so said and other repetitious phrases
“I know what Jesus would do,” SAID Annie. “No you don’t,” SAID Lettie. “Absolutely I do too,” SAID Annie. “He always healed the sick.” “Because he could,” SAID Lettie. “He could do miracles.” “Our scientists are working as fast as they can on a vaccine and a cure,” SAID Cecily. “And meanwhile we’re telling Africans to take a couple of Advils and call us in the morning?” SAID Lettie
“I don’t know about that,” said Cole.
(The lead-in to two paragraphs, one immediately after the other.)
2. The protagonists were so overly 'Christian' that every other sentence was "what would God want me to do". This was compounded by poor humor that made me pity them.
They followed her up the stairs naming even-more-disgusting Jell-O flavors; Cecily didn’t have the heart to tell them that some of them were real, at least according to stories about church suppers from her Protestant friends. Like carrots in orange Jell-O. And minimarshmallows in lime. But Lettie topped them all with her suggestion of “athlete’s foot in licorice Jell-O.” Cecily was laughing in spite of herself as she closed the door and locked it.
Really? That's laugh-worthy?
3. Poor sentence structure/grammar/conversion to ebook:
There was no mention of Cole’s presence and certainly without anyone speaking to him.
The foliage didn’t know it was supposed to get out of the way, and it had a nasty habit of hiding awkward geo graph i cal features.
...it would feel like anticlimax.
“Well, Cole, by your standard, your worse off than I am, since you don’t have any part of that.”
4. Really poor transitions. For example, at one point:
All the people living in those places were steeling themselves for the possibility of evacuation, devastation, rebuilding. Cecily saw herself in a hurricane. Rushing with her minivan full of children, trying to get out of town as the storm surge battered against the coast. In the passenger seat, Nick was shouting.
...and it takes 4 pages for us to find out that Cecily wasn't magically transported to the middle of a hurricane (I was admittedly confused for several of those pages), and she was just dreaming.
5. Utter fucking lameness
It was just a dream. But it felt like so much more than a dream. It felt like an answer. It felt to her as if she had been given this dream to make things clear to her.
6. Too much leading the reader (aka Dan Brown syndrome)
Or maybe she was supposed to learn from it that the hurricane strikes where it will, and when it will, and to spend your life trying to keep your kids away from the hurricane won’t work. The hurricane will find them. They’ll plunge right into it. All you can do is prepare them to be brave and good and make the best of whatever comes to them.
There's also a major plot-point that makes up the ending that is simply handed to the reader in the second chapter. I will not spoil it here in case you haven't read it, but give me a fucking break.
7. Inappropriate levity
Chinma stood up, turned his back, and raised up his shirt. He knew what they would see, because other nonfavorite children in his family bore similar scars, though perhaps he had the most. Lettie said nothing at all. Chinma lowered his shirt and turned back to face her. “I didn’t know,” said Lettie quietly. “I’m sorry.” “Good heavens,” said Aunt Margaret. “The child has a spark of empathy after all. Come, Chinma. Let’s get you packed.”
8. Failed continuity
Rusty had a horrible image of a man with all his bones removed, before he remembered that “Bones” was the unofficial nickname soldiers were giving the exoskeletons that were being prototyped. He had vaguely understood that they were being tested in Africa, but he had some idea of them being experimental. [...:] As soon as it was engaged with the Bones, Coleman started clicking and smacking his lips—commands to the helmet and exoskeleton, Rusty knew from what he’d seen and read before.
Rusty is a radio personality, but he "remembered" what the top-secret exoskeletons were called??? The main badass solider, Coleman, didn't even know about them!
It's supposed to be humorous, edgy parenting stories, but I wasn't entertained. Most of the book contained boring essays by semi-celebrities. None wer...moreIt's supposed to be humorous, edgy parenting stories, but I wasn't entertained. Most of the book contained boring essays by semi-celebrities. None were too shocking or edgy; book seems to be about 20 years too late in the "parents don't have to be perfect" department. The only one I remotely enjoyed was "Going to Neptune".(less)
Boring, bland, and nothing of use here. I would recommend to people who generally don't believe in science and instead think every old wive's tale the...moreBoring, bland, and nothing of use here. I would recommend to people who generally don't believe in science and instead think every old wive's tale they hear is gospel. For example, a co-worker who spent a lot of money on a Hello Kitty-themed nursery and then had a boy. Even though the ultrasound technician was "nearly 100% sure" it was a boy, she was convinced she was having a girl because a necklace dangled over her tummy spun a certain direction.
Might also be great for very young first-time mothers, as it does tackle some basic "what happens when you're pregnant" type things, and conception myths. Doesn't cut it for the college-educated common-sense person.(less)
This was just ok. Started out promising, like a throwback to Needful Things. But the characters here got overwhelming (says the Robert Jordan fan...),...moreThis was just ok. Started out promising, like a throwback to Needful Things. But the characters here got overwhelming (says the Robert Jordan fan...), and the pacing of what was happening under the dome seemed ridiculous. The town flunkies take over and begin terrorizing the entire town in 2 days? Really? I can suspend disbelief about some things, but not this. Still, it's an interesting idea, so I slogged my way through to the end, but it wasn't really worth it. I miss the old King.(less)
This is a short book, so in theory it shouldn't take me long to read. But here I am, working on it for over 2 weeks and I'm only about 100 pages in......moreThis is a short book, so in theory it shouldn't take me long to read. But here I am, working on it for over 2 weeks and I'm only about 100 pages in... It just doesn't seem as robust after reading the Mistborn series. I think I need a little more recovery time from that series. Maybe I'll move on to the new WOT book (releases tomorrow!) and come back to this later.
Jesus, it took me almost a month to get through this thing. Thought the entire thing was pretty mediocre. Having read several Clarke books, Rama is still the only one I really care for. His books are far too sterile for my tastes, though intriguing ideas usually surface.(less)
Perhaps I misunderstood the title. I was looking for information on unmedicated (ie - "natural") bir...moreShould be titled "the hippy guide to childbirth".
Perhaps I misunderstood the title. I was looking for information on unmedicated (ie - "natural") birthing, but there was not much information in the book about this topic. This was a very basic book that touches on many topics but doesn't go in depth. No information here is new after reading the Bradley Method book and Pregnancy Week by Week. I'd recommend reading these two books instead. Book also has several herbal recipes for massage oils and lotions that I found worthless, but YMMV.
Book makes several wrong and/or derogatory statements. Says that stretchmarks can be prevented IF YOU USE THEIR SPECIAL LOTION RECIPE. Bullshit. Stretchmarks are determined by the elasticity of your skin, which is genetic, and no lotion will change that. Also makes the assumption that mothers will stay home with the baby and breastfeed; no other options are discussed. Babysitters are frowned upon. Completely minor things such as pubic shaving during birth are completely blasted for being non-natural. Several pages devoted to saving the environment by not using disposable diapers. You should never buy baby food in a jar due to all the preservatives, only make your own food. Blah blah blah. Virtually no practical advice for working mothers. If I was living in a commune somewhere, this would be a great guide.
In case you're curious, my goals are to: have an unmedicated birth, breastfeed during maternity leave, pump when I return to work (and put the child into daycare - gasp!). I hope to use cloth diapering while at home, but will likely use disposables while out of the house for ease of use. (And of course daycares won't honor cloth diapering because of the biohazard.) I plan on making my own baby food as time permits, but will certainly supplement with store-purchased food.
I also found the layout and presentation boring. I rarely even notice such things in books, but this one was just enormous page after enormous page of complete text. Few pictures or side bars to break up the text, which makes for monotonous reading. (less)
This book is Dan Brown for Kids, and I don't recommend it to anyone.
This book was painfully YA. I only read this because it was a freebie on the Kindl...moreThis book is Dan Brown for Kids, and I don't recommend it to anyone.
This book was painfully YA. I only read this because it was a freebie on the Kindle - a promotion trying to entice new readers to the series. Guess what? There's no way in hell I'm buying the rest of this series, and I want my time back from this book.
The plot itself actually had some merit (again, a comparison to Dan Brown), and in the hands of a more capable author it could have been entertaining. Everything else about the book, from the characters to the pacing, was absolutely abysmal. The author felt the constant need to remind me of things that had already been stated (c'mon man - kids aren't stupid). The fact that the protagonists' parents were archaeologists was somehow supposed to explain that the kids knew whatever obscure information was necessary to move the dialog along. And the constant blinking neon arrow to the word TWINS? What was that? I get it already, stop harping on the point!
There was also a point in the book where the TWINS had just been attacked by a bunch of birds, and the birds had nearly ripped a car to shreds. Then the TWINS are told that the Bad Guys are coming and they should probably stay put. After all they've experienced, the first words out of their mouths as soon as they're left alone are: "We've got to get out of here." Well, surely they have a reason for stating this, right? Right? "I think we're in some pretty serious danger. [...:] We should try and make a run for it." What?? The forces of darkness are after you and you've found a protector and know you're in danger and all you want to do is leave??? I have a difficult time putting up with characters who do stupid things without a good reason just to move the plot along.
And as a few other reviews here have mentioned, the technology name-dropping really got in the way for me. Here's one that really bothered me: "...she wasn't answering her cell. She was either on eBay or playing one of the interminable online strategy games she was addicted to." This, spoken of a second generation goddess who is supposedly quite the badass, and Mr. Scott reduces her to a bumbling idiot who can't answer her mobile phone because she's eBaying. Puh-leeze.(less)
Oh my god, how I wanted to like this book. Usually I like to read the book before watching the movie, but I did the reverse in this situation. I thoug...moreOh my god, how I wanted to like this book. Usually I like to read the book before watching the movie, but I did the reverse in this situation. I thought the movie was phenomenal; unfortunately, the book has absolutely nothing in common with the movie. I got about halfway through before giving up. I couldn't take another boyhood school-yard tale.
Intriguing idea (especially on the tail of reading Handmaid's Tale by Maragart Atwood), but the story was too boringly told for my tastes.(less)
First impressions: This DEFINITELY reads like a YA book, even though it was shelved in the adult section of my local library. Zoe is an annoying littl...moreFirst impressions: This DEFINITELY reads like a YA book, even though it was shelved in the adult section of my local library. Zoe is an annoying little wench. Everyone just has the perfect retort for every comment. The weird part about it being a YA book is that it's not a stand-alone novel; if I hadn't already read the entire Old Man's War series, I don't think this would make sense. Or at the very least, it would come across as trite.
Many of the initial chapters say things like "My dad gave these aliens consciousness, so I'm a goddess to them. But that never got me out of homework. Har har, wink, nudge." It tries too hard to be witty, and without the full background story on the Obin it would be confusing or trite. I don't think I'm going to like this one, but may as well finish it.
Update: The first 1/3 of the book was a bit of a bore, but the next 2/3 got better. I stand by my complaints about the characters/dialog, but it was great to get a more fleshed out story about the werewolves. In Scalzi’s notes at the end of the novel, he says that he resolved the werewolf conflict “subtly” in Last Colony; he resolved it so subtly that I didn’t know it was resolved, and apparently other people had the same thought.
I also enjoyed seeing how Zoe interacted with the Obin and how she ended up with the Consu technology towards the end of the book. (In Last Colony this seemed deus ex machina, but I accept the author’s explanation here.)
My overall impressions are that this book was a method to tie up loose ends in Last Colony, and it works well enough for that. But taken on its own merits, I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone, nor will I be reading it again. (less)
Oh, how I hate all things Anne Rice. And I was even in full-on goth stage when I read this. Her characters are dull,...moreWhere's the zero-star "Hated It"?
Oh, how I hate all things Anne Rice. And I was even in full-on goth stage when I read this. Her characters are dull, plots are slow and tedious, and all her goddamned detail detracts from what little plot there is. (Do we really need 5 pages to describe how beautiful the night is?) The cardinal rule of writing is "Show, don't tell", but she tends to "tell" for pages and pages and pages.
I prefer Brian Lumley's style and story, though he can be a bit over-bearing sometimes.(less)
In short: you're worthless unless you're a breeder! And we will select the breeders via lottery rather than genes! I gave it the goo...moreAwful. Just awful.
In short: you're worthless unless you're a breeder! And we will select the breeders via lottery rather than genes! I gave it the good ole "halfway" try before the Mormon propaganda got to me. It's a shame; I tend to really enjoy Card's style.(less)
The first half of this book was really fun, the whole idea of creating a “reflex” in a jumper (much like Pavlov’s dog) was interesting as a training m...moreThe first half of this book was really fun, the whole idea of creating a “reflex” in a jumper (much like Pavlov’s dog) was interesting as a training method. The latter half took a nose dive for me.
It seems like the two protagonists have unending knowledge about all things – so much so that it pulled me out of the story because it was odd. Like Millie knowing what type of shingles were on the roof of the house; not just that she knew what they would feel/smell like, but that she knew the name of the type of shingle. The unending description of the planes and boat using boat/plane-specific terminology that I don’t know and don’t care to know. David seems to know absolutely everything there is to know about the corrupted police and thieves around the Venezuelan airport. It was a recurring thing throughout the book and it really bothered me.
For the record, I’m roughly the same age as Millie in the book, I’ve been with my husband for just shy of 10 years, we don’t have kids, and my training is also in psychology (though I’m working as an accountant). Now, on the complaints
The other thing I had an issue with is how every other word out of Millie’s mouth was how badly she wanted kids. And Millie and David both spend a large portion of their inner dialogs lamenting the fact that they were unable to have sex with the other person. Really? You’ve been married 10 years and your husband (who works as a spy for the NSA) disappears, and you only miss the physical part of the relationship?? And keep droning on and on and on about it like a 16-year-old not experienced with sex? It would have been nice to see the characters mature a little bit. Sure, sex is a big thing in a relationship, but it’s not the primary reason I would miss my husband. And I wouldn’t walk by playgrounds and bemoan the fact that he didn’t “knock me up” (her words) before he got kidnapped.
And while I’m complaining, I may as well complain about the use of the word “girlfriend” every time the characters were trying to be sassy.
The ending was a little too neat and tidy for me too – it read like a bad rom-com movie, where everything is wrapped up neatly and the girl finally gets a baby. Bah. Two stars just because I really liked the first half of the book. (less)
A decent idea, loved the Horrobin character, but the story was all over the place. This would have been much better if it spanned several books instea...moreA decent idea, loved the Horrobin character, but the story was all over the place. This would have been much better if it spanned several books instead of trying to cram so much into so few pages. And while the beginning of the book dragged along, the ending was so hurried and abrupt that I lost my connection with the characters.
I loved loved loved all the time travel, the back and forth, and following the different characters across the ages to figure out how they all fit together.
My biggest hate of this novel was the weird obsession with poets. While I understand that the main character had this obsession and was deeply involved writing a biography of the poets, I don't care. This should have been glossed over a little more because it stood out too much in a book that already had too many plot points.
When I was about halfway through the book (the meatiest part, and my fave part of the book), someone at work asked me what the book was about. So I gave a 2 minute overview of the crazy deformed clown on stilts, his beggar minions, the time traveling, the obsession with dead poets, etc etc... and realized how incredibly insane the whole plot sounded. I'm glad I didn't know anything about this book before I picked it up, or I wouldn't have bothered reading it!
I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, but I don't regret reading it.(less)
Meh. Put this in the same category as the last third of Stranger in a Strange Land: the characters were delightful, the situations were interesting, b...moreMeh. Put this in the same category as the last third of Stranger in a Strange Land: the characters were delightful, the situations were interesting, but I just couldn't get my mind wrapped around a society where everyone has sex with everyone else with no consequences - no diseases, no jealousy, their lives just revolve around sex and babies. It's too far outside my realm of being to be relevant to me. Guess I'm just an intellectual. "An intellectual is someone who has found something more interesting than sex." - Edgar Wallace(less)
The worst book I've ever read. It was given to me on my first day of work by the company President, so I figured I better read it. Thank God I didn't...moreThe worst book I've ever read. It was given to me on my first day of work by the company President, so I figured I better read it. Thank God I didn't spend actual money on this.
It's an extremely obvious metaphor that I can sum up: change happens, you must adapt. Now if you absolutely must read a motivational book, go read Jonathan Livingston Seagull instead. (less)
I LOVED this book when I first read it in 1997 (what can I say - I was young). After seeing the broadway play in 2008 I wanted to go back and reread t...moreI LOVED this book when I first read it in 1997 (what can I say - I was young). After seeing the broadway play in 2008 I wanted to go back and reread the book so I could compare.
This book is absolute drivel. I couldn't even get halfway through it because the writing was so terrible. I'll give it 2 stars just because I'm a sucker for re-imagined fairy tales, but I think it's destined to be one of those books that I happened to read at just the right age.(less)
That's right, I hated this book. Although it was a quick read, it was mind numbingly boring. I just wanted to hit Daisy for all her trite dialogue. I...moreThat's right, I hated this book. Although it was a quick read, it was mind numbingly boring. I just wanted to hit Daisy for all her trite dialogue. I suppose this book was maybe relevant at some point, but it didn't resonate with me.(less)
I heard good things about this book so I decided to give it a try. The plot was almost non-existent, the c...moreMy review can be summed up in one word: meh.
I heard good things about this book so I decided to give it a try. The plot was almost non-existent, the characters were shallow and forgettable, and it was just generally boring. But the actual idea of a Ringworld - now that's interesting sci-fi! (And the reason this gets 2 stars instead of 1.) This would have probably excelled as a short story, but the author simply didn't have enough material to flesh this out into a novel (or a series, for that matter).(less)
After hating Da Vinci Code, a friend recommended that I give Angels and Demons a try, saying it was a better book. He was right, this book is much bet...moreAfter hating Da Vinci Code, a friend recommended that I give Angels and Demons a try, saying it was a better book. He was right, this book is much better than Da Vinci, but it's still not up to par with what I consider "adult level" reading. Still feels as though it's a mystery written for a teenage reading level.(less)
My god this book is horrible. It's an interesting mystery story, but the execution is poor. Bad BAD writing, and the author practically beats you over...moreMy god this book is horrible. It's an interesting mystery story, but the execution is poor. Bad BAD writing, and the author practically beats you over the head with the information that will help you solve the mystery. I might have loved this book if I had read it when I was 12; that's really the reading level at which it's aimed.(less)
Beyond awful. Don't waste your time reading this one, just read the synopsis online. Or read the last chapter before moving on to the next book. Absol...moreBeyond awful. Don't waste your time reading this one, just read the synopsis online. Or read the last chapter before moving on to the next book. Absolutely nothing happens here to further the plot, and I'm tired of reading about how tall people are in relation to one another. Not to mention the overly-described dresses on every single page. (less)
So it took me over a month to get through this disaster of a book, and I ended up skimming some of it just to get through it. If you haven't read the...moreSo it took me over a month to get through this disaster of a book, and I ended up skimming some of it just to get through it. If you haven't read the original Foundation books, SPOILER ahead.
The entire reason this book exists is to show, in detail, Seldon's ascent from academian to First Minister. There was an almost-interesting sidebar about how another species helped him form his theory of psychohistory. All in all, not a book worth reading.
The first part of the book starts out good: it's reminiscent of Asimov's original, the characters are believable, and I was just generally excited about reading more about Seldon. (The author was somewhat annoying in that he kept restating things and practically beating me over the head with some ideas. Not as bad as Dan Brown does, but not far off.)
That's where my love affair with this book ended and the hatred began. The next section delves deeply into new characters, "sims" (essentially computer-reproduced self-aware personalities) of Voltaire and Joan of Arc. BORING. Author rambles on and on and ON about what it's like to "live" inside the net. Philosophy abounds. It was like being dropped into a completely separate novel that didn't flow at all with the first part of the book.
The author did bring the two sets of characters together by the end of the book, but it wasn't interesting and by that point I really just wanted the book to end! It was obvious where it was going and there was no need to have 40 more pages in the book. Someone get this guy a better editor. (less)
Loading...
