Steve
This took a while to get going, and had a very “to be continued” ending, but it was a solid continuation of the story.
A very good Holmsian detective story with an feminine twist and sci-fi setting. I wouldn't describe this as hard sci-fi; a lot of the science doesn't really stand up to scrutiny, but that is a minor complaint. Fun and fast-paced; a quick read.
This was far more involving than I was expecting and fell into the category of "finding reasons to read". This is partly because it is a well-written story of intrigue, and partly because it dropped enough hints about the wider world to make me curious where this was going. I anticipate/hope that the next books in the series will head off in unexpected directions, or at least move beyond the "simple" bounds of Lords and Ladies jostling for positions of power. I also would not have guessed this was written in the '80s, since the empowerment theme feels very current. Very much looking forward to the next in the trilogy.
Good, but a little unsatisfying as it feels very much like the first of a series, rather than a complete story in its own right. Having said that, it may be interesting to see where the story goes next..
Not sure whether this was is 3 or 4 stars. This is essentially an extended treatise on grief, although, for me, the emphasis is a bit too much in the “extended”. Some of the prose and stories are beautiful, however by the end I was skimming through the suffering. This is not a book to read if you want to be uplifted, although some of the chapters are rewarding. So a 3.5, but rounded down for unnecessary length and repetition (plus, some of the more sci-fi aspects felt a bit like they had been crowbarred in to justify the story).
Oh my drops monocle. If I were to pick one word to describe this it would be “lusty”. I'm not sure it is really my kind of thing (it felt a little fanficcy at times, and some bits seemed to have a somewhat uncomfortable view of consent), but it was certainly an interesting read. A rounded up 3.5 stars.
A rounded up 3.5. A nice simple story, but maybe a bit too simple; it felt underwritten, with the trials faced by the main character not seeming particularly challenging, and the prose is very sparse, with very little scene setting.
At last, an Arthurian story that is actually readable - and short! An interesting take on the legend (or, at least, a portion of it).
I find magical realism to be a bit of a challenge, but if that floats your boat, I think you will find this a compelling read.
Not sure whether to give this 3 or 4 stars. On the one hand it is a very good exercise of norse-themed world-building; on the other hand not much really happens, other than to move all the pieces into position for the third and final book. People do a lot of travelling, and much blood is spilt, but it could have all been done in a much shorter book.
If you liked the first book and want more of the same world, this is exactly what you are looking for. However, if you want a dynamic plot, you might be sorely disappointed. This is not Brandon Sanderson. Hopefully the final book, when it appears, will bring things to a crashing, satisfying conclusion, although I do slightly dread a drawn-out plod through the world before we get there.
A good continuation of the story: the Empire Strikes Back of the sequence. A little more serious than the first book, but still well-paced. Looking forward to the next in the series.
I wasn't sure whether to rate this 3 or 4 stars. This is not punchy enough to be a short story and not meaty enough to be a novel. It's certainly an original story, but it didn't really feel weighty or pointed. It was fine.
This was an enjoyable read, although it did feel a little tonally odd at times. There were certain plot points that I never really bought (Endplague?), however the over-arching themes made them fairly easy to gloss over (although one passing comment at the end threw me a bit: did it mean to imply that Katrina had formed some sort of relationship with her apparently unrepentant molester Tso?).
Also, although I can appreciate the appropriateness of the Bartok piece as a metaphor for acceptance of things outside your normal realm of experience, I am not a great lover of the violin, so I struggled to really understand the impact the music was meant to be having. Granted the experience was well described, but I can't say I really believed in it. I suspect this is a failure on my part however.
So, overall, despite some misgivings, a good read; probably even more so if you have greater musical appreciation than I do.
In which Douglas Adams gets his teeth into the multiverse. More plot (of sorts), less anarchic humour. The End. 3.5 stars.
A somewhat predictable, trope-heavy story, whose success probably depends on how well you take to the romance. Personally, I found it a bit distracting, and sometimes it felt more like a beginners guide to asking for consent. Overall however, an efficient time-filler with echoes of Firefly.
Good, although felt a little uneven tonally (starting off apparently PG13, but then cutting loose with the f-bombs later on). Not sure if this is aimed at the younger or older end of YA. In any event, a nice little addition to the Rivers of London series.
A rounded up 3.5. This book is a mythical tale with a poetic flavor, highlighted by well-crafted moments of action. The prose is beautifully written, but the pacing is inconsistent. It swings wildly between engaging action and painfully slow sections. The last 5% of this was like pulling teeth.
This collection is exactly what a short story anthology should (in my opinion) consist of: short stories with a beginning, middle, end and something to say. To often I read short stories that appear to be half-finished tales that the author started but didn't know how to finish. Each of the stories in this collection satisfyingly thought-provoking. Recommended.
This was great. Granted there are plot holes, and the characterizations are weak, however the story zips along. This is the first “page turner” I have read in a long time. Thoroughly recommended to anyone who liked The Martian.
Very good start to the series, which manages to setup the rest of the series while still providing a suitably satisfactory self-contained story. Also, a good audiobook performance by Sophie Aldred.
Deeply disappointing. It could simply be that I'm not in the right headspace for this, however it was interminably slow. I'm at around the 40% mark of the audiobook and can't get up the energy to listen any further. This is more a kitchen sink drama, dealing with the relationship and life struggles of two people living in New York at the start of the 20th century, rather than a fantasy novel. There are hints of a more interesting story (mainly the arcs of some peripheral characters), however the Golem and Jinni themselves are just frustratingly “normal”.
DNF.
A disappointing 3, but maybe with the hope that it actually a 4 since I suspect this is actually much better than my perception. The audiobook format simply did not work for someone (i.e. me) who is unfamiliar with the pronunciation of Chinese names/words. Maybe if I had read this rather than listened I would not have been so confused about who was who and where was where. As it was, I never really managed to care about any of the characters, since I spent half the time trying to work out who everyone was, and indeed they all eventually seemed pretty unlikeable by the end.
By far the best portion of the book were the first monastery-set scenes, where the focus was on a single person in a single location and the motivations of everyone were clear. In fact, this almost felt like a standalone short story, onto which had then been tacked a much more tortuous tale.
So, in conclusion, read this book, don't listen to it (unless your grasp of Chinese nomenclature is much better than mine).
3.5 stars. This is fun, but it feels like if you think about it too much, it completely falls apart. Go with the flow however and it's a good way to pass the time.