Kept me coming back. Enjoyable read that was hard to put down once I was hooked - but as a reader I'm more interested in scifi alien stuff and less inKept me coming back. Enjoyable read that was hard to put down once I was hooked - but as a reader I'm more interested in scifi alien stuff and less interested in character development and believability.
The relationship between Cora and her friend became a bit weird skewing towards unbelievable towards 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
In terms of ranking the trilogy, I put this entrant as either first or second place. It maintains the author's matter of fact, "of course ..." expositIn terms of ranking the trilogy, I put this entrant as either first or second place. It maintains the author's matter of fact, "of course ..." exposition style, but it really shifts gears and dives deep into sci-fi concepts around the laws of physics....more
Lacked some of the "can't put this down" aspect of the first in the series, but ended strong.Lacked some of the "can't put this down" aspect of the first in the series, but ended strong....more
**spoiler alert** Good adventure. Tons of secrets revealed, as if the author wants to move on from the universe of previous novels but keep some of th**spoiler alert** Good adventure. Tons of secrets revealed, as if the author wants to move on from the universe of previous novels but keep some of the same characters in future novels....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
A bit expositional, but I suppose it is the annalist who is narrating so it is in character.
Ended quite abruptly (I bought an anthology and didn’t reaA bit expositional, but I suppose it is the annalist who is narrating so it is in character.
Ended quite abruptly (I bought an anthology and didn’t realize the end of the book was coming until I turned the page and saw “Dreams of Steel.”...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
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
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