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Just a Geek: Unflinchingly Honest Tales of the Search for Life, Love, and Fulfillment Beyond the Starship Enterprise
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I confess, I bought this anthology just for Jim Butcher's Dresden Files short story - which I loved. Of the other stories in the anthology, I liked Rachel Caine's and P.N. Elrod's stories. The rest didn't really do much for me, hence the overall rating of three stars.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. John Scalzi takes the accepted knowledge about 'redshirts' and builds it into a funny and sometimes poignant look at the life of a redshirt from the inside, while still being a science fiction novel in its own right. The characters aren't all that deep for a good part of the novel, but there are good reasons for that. The story is engaging, and the humour, especially for those of us who remember the original Star Trek series, is spot on. Recommended to geeks everywhere, especially those who have fond memories of Star Trek, but are still able to acknowledge and appreciate its flaws!
As with all the books in the Vorkosigan Saga, a thoroughly entertaining read. Miles Vorkosigan himself features only briefly; this time the focus is on his cousin Ivan, which makes for a slightly less madcap adventure - but only slightly. For once it's not Miles that drags Ivan into trouble - that comes from an altogether different source. All the same, once the hijinks ensue, it's a classic Vorkosigan tale. I wonder just how distressed Ivan would be if he realised exactly how much his Lord Auditor Coz has rubbed off on him? (That's not to say that I think Ivan is a clone of Miles - that would be doing both of them, and the author, a great disservice. And besides, that honour belongs to another character altogether. It is clear, however, that Ivan has subconsciously picked up a few things from Miles over the years.)Anyway, if you liked the other Vorkosigan books, then there's just as much to like here. If you haven't read any others, however, I wouldn't suggest this as a starting point. Although you could read this as a stand-alone story (and any necessary back-story is referenced/explained), I think it probably reads far better for being familiar with the protagonist and with the various supporting characters and settings.
I loved this book. It's a quick read, although not necessarily an easy one. I'm not usually squeamish, but the author got me good with a few of his descriptions - this is not for the faint of heart. There's also quite a bit of swearing, which didn't bother me but might be a problem for some. There's quite a lot of dark in this book, but there's dark humour as well, which I liked. I liked Miriam, the protagonist, too - just the right mixture of ballsy and vulnerable, jaded and hopeful, mouthy and sweet (in spite of her best efforts to the contrary). The plot races along at an ever-increasing pace, with short chapters which keep you wanting more. The main storyline is broken up with interludes which I think helped the pacing, and added much needed (and often intriguing) back-story to various characters - especially Miriam (although I'd still love to know more). I look forward to reading the next book in the series.In a nutshell: If you like your urban fantasy dark and gritty, with a generous splash of humour, I recommend this wholeheartedly.
I found this more of a chore than a pleasure to read, and came close to giving up on it several times. I found the unnecessarily long sentences very hard to follow, and it constantly pulled me out of the story. If not for that I might have enjoyed the story, but as it was I was simply glad to get to the end of it. And what an abrupt end it was! Given the 'framing story' style opening, I was expecting a similar closing, and consequently found the ending very jarring.I'm not sure whether it helped or hindered that I've seen at least one film adaptation of this book in the past, so was already aware of its plot. I'd have to agree with another reviewer, who thought this was one of those cases where the film (at least the version I recall) was preferable to the book.Not really the Halloween read I was looking for.
I found this more of a chore than a pleasure to read, and came close to giving up on it several times. I found the unnecessarily long sentences very hard to follow, and it constantly pulled me out of the story. If not for that I might have enjoyed the story, but as it was I was simply glad to get to the end of it. And what an abrupt end it was! Given the 'framing story' style opening, I was expecting a similar closing, and consequently found the ending very jarring.I'm not sure whether it helped or hindered that I've seen at least one film adaptation of this book in the past, so was already aware of its plot. I'd have to agree with another reviewer, who thought this was one of those cases where the film (at least the version I recall) was preferable to the book.Not really the Halloween read I was looking for.
I found this enjoyable and compelling. The characters were believable and realistic (at least the ones that were supposed to be), and the tension flowed nicely along throughout the story. Good mix of horror and thriller. I loved the usage of the sparrows, not an animal you'd usually associate with supernatural events. If you like Stephen King's brand of horror, I can recommend this one.
I wanted to like this book, but it left me feeling mostly 'meh'. The characters seemed thin, and I was never quite sure who - if anyone - I was meant to be rooting for. Nor did I ever feel very invested in the outcome. The eponymous Neuromancer was about the only thing that really caught my interest, but by then it was too little, and far too late.
This was really 3.5 stars for me, but I'll be generous. :) (It should probably be noted that I'm a fan of the author from his blog, so perhaps more inclined to be so.)I did enjoy this novella, and found the premise of captured gods powering space travel (among other things) very intriguing. The God Engines is hard to categorise - despite the fantasy elements, it still felt a lot like sci fi for me. It was a quick read, and despite its shortness I thought the characterisations were good. It was also quite dark in places, which I wasn't really expecting - but it suited the setting and the plot. World-building was a bit thinner than I would have liked - I wanted to know more about the setting and history, but that would have required a full length novel. As it is, I think the story suited the shorter length (and vice versa).I wouldn't suggest reading this if you only like sunny, optimistic stories - but otherwise, recommended.
This was really 3.5 stars for me, but I'll be generous. :) (It should probably be noted that I'm a fan of the author from his blog, so perhaps more inclined to be so.)I did enjoy this novella, and found the premise of captured gods powering space travel (among other things) very intriguing. The God Engines is hard to categorise - despite the fantasy elements, it still felt a lot like sci fi for me. It was a quick read, and despite its shortness I thought the characterisations were good. It was also quite dark in places, which I wasn't really expecting - but it suited the setting and the plot. World-building was a bit thinner than I would have liked - I wanted to know more about the setting and history, but that would have required a full length novel. As it is, I think the story suited the shorter length (and vice versa).I wouldn't suggest reading this if you only like sunny, optimistic stories - but otherwise, recommended.
A lovely, gentle read that transports you to a simpler place and time. I found the characters charming, and I adore Jo Walton's take on magic here. The inherent ambiguity in both the magic itself, and whether it's real or simply in Morwenna's imagination, is intriguing, and keeps you wondering about it all the way through the book. I also liked Mori's internal dilemmas over her karass.I didn't always find Morwenna herself to be the most sympathetic of protagonists, but I certainly did identify with her - especially with her feelings of being an outsider, and of course with her love of books in general, and SF books in particular. In many ways, this novel is a love story - not love between characters, but love of reading and love of SF.It takes a lot to get a 5-star rating from me - that's mostly reserved for those books that I love beyond all reason, and read over and over. But this came closer than most.Heartily recommended.
I found this to be light, silly, irreverent fun. If you’re looking for serious, you’re looking in the wrong place. I wasn’t, and I loved it. That said, if you’re not a fan or follower of John Scalzi and/or Wil Wheaton in some way (whether it be their careers, their blogs, their twitter posts), this may not be for you. Each piece in this anthology (mostly short stories, but there’s also an epic poem, a one-act play with Photoshop elements and an interview) revels in its in-jokes and knowing references, and if you don’t get these you may be left feeling mystified. But for those who get the references, or just simply share their kind of humour, this collection is a delight.All that, and it's for charity, too!
I first read this book when I was much younger, and at that time I loved it. On this re-read, however, I found it a little less enthralling. I think the book is longer than it needs to be - it could have used some heavier editing to improve the pacing. Even so, I did still enjoy re-reading it... Just not as much as I'd expected to. The characters are still great, and I love the concept of the two intertwined worlds, and 'Twinners', although it seemed to me that the mechanics of 'flipping' between worlds for the Twinners was written inconsistently. I think perhaps this is a novel best suited to be read by younger readers, who still have their sense of childish wonder intact. That said, Jack's adventures take him into some VERY dark situations which maybe aren't all that suitable for young readers.I'm not sure how much of the story and writing was King's and how much was Straub's, especially since I'm not familiar with Straub's writing. It did feel very like a Stephen King novel - but not, in my opinion, one of his best.I have mixed feelings about this book now. I almost wish I hadn't re-read it. Since my main reason for doing so was in preparation for reading the sequel, I can only hope that it proves to be worth the effort.I was torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars - I really want to give it 3.5. In the end I left it as 4 stars, for the enjoyment it gave me the first time around.
I first read this book when I was much younger, and at that time I loved it. On this re-read, however, I found it a little less enthralling. I think the book is longer than it needs to be - it could have used some heavier editing to improve the pacing. Even so, I did still enjoy re-reading it... Just not as much as I'd expected to. The characters are still great, and I love the concept of the two intertwined worlds, and 'Twinners', although it seemed to me that the mechanics of 'flipping' between worlds for the Twinners was written inconsistently. I think perhaps this is a novel best suited to be read by younger readers, who still have their sense of childish wonder intact. That said, Jack's adventures take him into some VERY dark situations which maybe aren't all that suitable for young readers.I'm not sure how much of the story and writing was King's and how much was Straub's, especially since I'm not familiar with Straub's writing. It did feel very like a Stephen King novel - but not, in my opinion, one of his best.I have mixed feelings about this book now. I almost wish I hadn't re-read it. Since my main reason for doing so was in preparation for reading the sequel, I can only hope that it proves to be worth the effort.I was torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars - I really want to give it 3.5. In the end I left it as 4 stars, for the enjoyment it gave me the first time around.
Charles Stross' Laundry Files books are always great fun to read, and this latest one is no exception- in fact, for me it's the best yet. If you've read the others (and if you haven't, I'd recommend starting with The Atrocity Archives, although Stross does do a good job of making each one self-contained), you'll know the drill by now - spy thriller meets Lovecraftian horror, and of course, hijinks ensure. The main series' protagonist, Bob Howard, is joined in this instalment by two 'external assets', who are fun and fascinating characters in their own right. Highly recommended.
I first read the two books that comprise Mordant's Need (The Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through) many, MANY years ago. I loved them then, and I still love them now. Stephen Donaldson paints an unusual, perhaps unique, system of magic that I find refreshing and intriguing. The magic system aside, world-building is a little on the light side, but you get enough history of Mordant and its neighbours - and their conflicts - to give a satisfying background to the story. For me, the primary strength of these books is in their characters - not just Terisa and Geraden, the central characters, but all the supporting cast as well. Many of them appear somewhat one-dimensional and clichéd to begin with, but the more you learn about them the more interesting they become. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, talents and flaws which influence everything they do. If you like good old-fashioned fantasy, with just enough darkness to give it a bit of spice, then I highly recommend this book (or books, depending on whether you get the omnibus edition or not).