Lost the magic of the previous books in the series. As a result it took me over a year to finish the book - lots of buildup without much payoff until Lost the magic of the previous books in the series. As a result it took me over a year to finish the book - lots of buildup without much payoff until the last 10-15% of the book....more
To preface - I binged the first 8 books a few years ago. I did not refresh myself on the Expanse universe before picking this one up. What was missingTo preface - I binged the first 8 books a few years ago. I did not refresh myself on the Expanse universe before picking this one up. What was missing for me was some sync-up with what was happening in the Expanse universe before this book. There was sufficient reintroduction of characters and plot pieces like ships, stations, and planets; what was missing was a reintroduction into what happened in previous books. I was tempted a few times to go read summaries of the previous books, but didn't want to risk spoilers.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It had less of the gritty, hard sci-fi. There are still crash couches, the juice, braking burns, PDC's - but these things become secondary to the plot and aren't mulled over in detail like they are earlier in the series. In place of hard sci-fi, we get lots of weirdness like non-consensually linked minds and monsters behind the curtains of the ringspace.
My main complaint is against the resolution. The author gave an explanation/justification for the existence of the ringspace and who/what was on the other side trying to break the universe, but that explanation wasn't satisfying. The beings on the other side remained a Lovecraftian horror in the end....more
A huge change in genre from the books I'd most recently read before now.
This was an interesting semi-biographical yet still fictional account of John A huge change in genre from the books I'd most recently read before now.
This was an interesting semi-biographical yet still fictional account of John Franklin, an Arctic explorer with what we might call today a sensory processing disorder. He's smart, just slow. I especially liked his time spent as Governor in Tasmania, because it showed his character and his willingness to do what he believed was right in spite of resistance from people that benefitted from the status quo....more
The author is talented, but seeing the movie before reading the book killed the book for me.
Switching narrative voices for each character was pulled oThe author is talented, but seeing the movie before reading the book killed the book for me.
Switching narrative voices for each character was pulled off very well, and overall structure of the novel was good too. I liked the book's way of linking all of the characters together with the comet birthmark more than the movie's way of doing it by having the same actors play the relevant characters.
I would recommend this book to people that haven't seen the movie....more
Ford was very morally conservative, and a titan of industry. But he didn't have the "fuck you, I got mine" mentality of current dayInteresting memoir.
Ford was very morally conservative, and a titan of industry. But he didn't have the "fuck you, I got mine" mentality of current day baby boomers and republicans. In fact, he seemed more liberal and compassionate than the current day left in his views towards wages, benefits, family, work/life balance, and healthcare.
A good look into the past, and a good guide to running a sane company for the benefit of its works and its customers....more
Good, but not as good as Foundation. Foundation relied on realistic (to us) drivers for the plot like religion, economics, and politics. The last partGood, but not as good as Foundation. Foundation relied on realistic (to us) drivers for the plot like religion, economics, and politics. The last part of Foundation and Empire put a lot of weight on the idea of the psychic mutant and the story became more of a mystery surrounding the mutant's identity and powers.
I liked how the style was mostly the same as Foundation, where most of the plot is revealed to the reader through dialogue between characters....more
Interesting, with a weird ending (similar to the end of the Foundation series.)
I liked the use of time dilation as a plot element, and the prologue hiInteresting, with a weird ending (similar to the end of the Foundation series.)
I liked the use of time dilation as a plot element, and the prologue highlighted the parallels with the Vietnam War, which was also interesting.
After reading this, I got the feeling that sci-fi writers aren't good writers, but they are creative writers. The plot draws you in, not the characters. Then a magical shared consciousness arrives and ends the war....more
This was an interesting read as a practitioner of Genetic Algorithms - a lot of the concepts presented in this book map back to the concepts used in EThis was an interesting read as a practitioner of Genetic Algorithms - a lot of the concepts presented in this book map back to the concepts used in Evolutionary Computing also.
This book turns conventional wisdom about evolution on its head (x evolved y because z) and focuses on genes rather than the individuals that express them (x evolved y because it resulted in more of the genes that expressed y being produced.)...more
Uhh... parts were good, parts were cringeworthy. Intro was interesting (the actual story of the author's life.) The pictures were fun to read. After tUhh... parts were good, parts were cringeworthy. Intro was interesting (the actual story of the author's life.) The pictures were fun to read. After the pictures though... bleh.
It's basically hippies caught up in eastern philosophy, using Indian and Sanskrit words to seem more mystic. In my opinion, people like that ruin others' views or ability to view eastern philosophy without thinking negatively about it....more
Lady gets her own book! It was nice to get into Lady's head. She is pragmatic, ruthless and self-ware, but she is still human.
As far as books go - thiLady gets her own book! It was nice to get into Lady's head. She is pragmatic, ruthless and self-ware, but she is still human.
As far as books go - this one stayed interesting from cover to cover. The plot is constantly being driven forward, with lots of smaller arcs advancing along the way.
This book brings back some familiar characters, but Longshadow's identity (if one of the Taken) is still a secret. I liked how even though the primary wizards are stuck in Dejagore, we still get to see some talents being exercised by other potent characters....more
Powerful, but drags in the middle. Has a very epic feel to it that gave me frisson several times.
The basic premise is that in order to attain inner pePowerful, but drags in the middle. Has a very epic feel to it that gave me frisson several times.
The basic premise is that in order to attain inner peace and congruency with the universe, we must act without attachment to the rewards of those actions. The idea is akin to reaching the flow state - you get so caught up in the work you're doing that you function independently of the final outcome, and of time itself....more
The end reflects traveling on the surface without going deeper - the people see the fish, but think it's a sGood, but not my favorite Hemingway novel.
The end reflects traveling on the surface without going deeper - the people see the fish, but think it's a shark and have no idea of the effort, struggle, and pain of the fisherman and fish.
I like how the fisherman and the fish are nearly the same. In the end, the sharks (tourists) take what they want/came for and leave the empty husk (the fisherman.)...more
Ehh... we follow Trevize for the duration of the novel. Asimov's characters lack the depth required for how long he kept them going. Trevize seemed toEhh... we follow Trevize for the duration of the novel. Asimov's characters lack the depth required for how long he kept them going. Trevize seemed to keep changing and becoming more forgiving and too unrealistic and the plot progressed. Dialogue between Trevize and Pelorat is painful at times.
Slow read, and long. The end was rather Deus Ex Machina and unsatisfying....more
Willie rambles a lot and repeats himself a lot. I guess it wouldn't be a memoir if that weren't true to some extent... but damn. He plugs his stuff a Willie rambles a lot and repeats himself a lot. I guess it wouldn't be a memoir if that weren't true to some extent... but damn. He plugs his stuff a lot, and dotes on his family to a sickening extent.
Was interesting to see the contrast between him & Steve Jobs though - vastly different styles and personalities, but both wildly successful at what they did....more
I feel like the switch in author really made a difference. There was a lot more jumping between characters in this book, and the chapters were shorterI feel like the switch in author really made a difference. There was a lot more jumping between characters in this book, and the chapters were shorter. This made the book seem to pass by faster even though it was longer than a few of the preceding books.
Not a lot of dull moments, though it is frustrating to watch Rand turn into even more of an asshole....more
It was fun to read something set in a dystopian future, but the 1st person progressive style the series is written in really messed with my head. AfteIt was fun to read something set in a dystopian future, but the 1st person progressive style the series is written in really messed with my head. After finishing the series, I was waking up and my own personal narrative would start up with things like, "I am brushing my teeth while I turn on the shower." The effect wore off after a couple days, thankfully....more
It was fun to read something set in a dystopian future, but the 1st person progressive style the series is written in really messed with my head. AfteIt was fun to read something set in a dystopian future, but the 1st person progressive style the series is written in really messed with my head. After finishing the series, I was waking up and my own personal narrative would start up with things like, "I am brushing my teeth while I turn on the shower." The effect wore off after a couple days, thankfully....more
It was fun to read something set in a dystopian future, but the 1st person progressive style the series is written in really messed with my head. AfteIt was fun to read something set in a dystopian future, but the 1st person progressive style the series is written in really messed with my head. After finishing the series, I was waking up and my own personal narrative would start up with things like, "I am brushing my teeth while I turn on the shower." The effect wore off after a couple days, thankfully....more
Good? Confusing. Hard to read because of the phonetic scottish accent. But good. Shows the dereliction as a result of heroin and bad friends and otherGood? Confusing. Hard to read because of the phonetic scottish accent. But good. Shows the dereliction as a result of heroin and bad friends and other substance abuse. Everyone is fucking everyone else over, people are getting AIDS, people are raging on innocent people, have sores, etc. Funny as hell in some spots, gross, but had me laughing....more
I read this while staying in Siem Reap to get a feel for the ruins before and while I was there. It had a good history of the Khmer, but was a bit preI read this while staying in Siem Reap to get a feel for the ruins before and while I was there. It had a good history of the Khmer, but was a bit pretentious and assuming of the reader's knowledge of other authors' works regarding Angkor Wat.
Helped a lot with understanding the layout, themes, and reliefs found in the ruins of Angkor Wat....more
The only thing I didn't like was Sanderson's style of switching between characters within one chapter. As far as I remember, Jordan didSo much action.
The only thing I didn't like was Sanderson's style of switching between characters within one chapter. As far as I remember, Jordan didn't switch between characters nearly as often in the earlier books. Maybe it was necessary, but it was annoying being left with constant cliffhangers....more
Fun! Much more engaging and enjoyable than the Willie Nelson memoir. Was funny to read - reminded me a lot of myself and of stories we'd tell/share afFun! Much more engaging and enjoyable than the Willie Nelson memoir. Was funny to read - reminded me a lot of myself and of stories we'd tell/share after ACM meetings in college.
He was a bit of a rebel in the system, and so easy to root for. And he was socially capable, mischievous, etc. Fun!...more
In the copy I read, the writing style was a bit hard to follow at time, specifically the dialogue. It was hard to identify which character was saying In the copy I read, the writing style was a bit hard to follow at time, specifically the dialogue. It was hard to identify which character was saying what. Was fun to read the old slang/jargon of years gone by (tight=drunk, etc.) Enjoyed the overall directness & simplicity of the narration....more
Ehh.. good plot, bad character development. Very deep and involved world with unfamiliar magic/technology/religion that is basically never clarified. Ehh.. good plot, bad character development. Very deep and involved world with unfamiliar magic/technology/religion that is basically never clarified. Feels serialized (I'm pretty sure it originally was.) Glosses over a lot of stuff without detail.
But still interesting, and a sci-fi classic....more
Good until the end, where wishes and magic literally fix everything in "outspace." No resolutions to big plot points. Who sent the descolada? Where doGood until the end, where wishes and magic literally fix everything in "outspace." No resolutions to big plot points. Who sent the descolada? Where do pequininos and buggers go? What happens with the Lusitania fleet? What of Jane being shut down?
Inspiring, but the author gets in the way and is a bit academic in his references (in my book..., in his book...Read this over the course of 8 months.
Inspiring, but the author gets in the way and is a bit academic in his references (in my book..., in his book..., I thought...) Most of the quotes and outtakes from other books were worthwhile though.
Interesting and easy to read, but painful. Dean is so crazy and selfish, but everyone swarms to him!
It was cool to look back at a time when it was posInteresting and easy to read, but painful. Dean is so crazy and selfish, but everyone swarms to him!
It was cool to look back at a time when it was possible to live and travel on a job like a security guard or parking lot attendant. They were crazed manchildren at times....more
Great! Wasn't what I was expecting at all - the whole story is told almost exclusively through dialogue and meetings - not much "action" but very inteGreat! Wasn't what I was expecting at all - the whole story is told almost exclusively through dialogue and meetings - not much "action" but very interesting and hard to put down nonetheless. Lots of scifi stuff, but not overwhelming or overly nerded out - very accessible....more
This seemed like more of a "pollute less, save Earth" book than I hoped it would be. I wanted to know what would happen when power plants went out andThis seemed like more of a "pollute less, save Earth" book than I hoped it would be. I wanted to know what would happen when power plants went out and it barely touched on things like that.
Not very good - the book read more like a collection of magazine articles....more
Not great, but it was nice to follow Ender's footsteps and resume the plot line. Beginning was annoying because it was written from the juvenile perspNot great, but it was nice to follow Ender's footsteps and resume the plot line. Beginning was annoying because it was written from the juvenile perspective and had a strong "we're way cooler than adults!" feel to it, but it got better after the first chapter....more
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