Steve
I'd file this under tempting escapism, except I am too fond of a good shower to truly envy the inhabitants of Shakespeare & Company. The book gives a flavoursome insight into the bohemian life of peripatetic writers and poets that pass through the doors of the world-reknown bookshop. The author appears to display a genuine affection for the store, and, if we are to believe his account, it is interesting the affect his time at the store appears to have had on him. Before his arrival he appears to be - frankly - unlikeable but by the end of the book he seems to genuinely changed his life for the better.
If you are looking for a book about literary Paris, this is not it (I would point you in the direction of A Movable Feast for that), however it is an interesting insight into a long running, and apparently successful, experiment in communal living bonded by a love of the written word.
A very well-written and, in the end, enjoyable story that is also one of the most stressful books I've read in a long time. The first third of the story is basically Anxiety 101. This perfectly captures the mind of someone who cannot escape the confines of their head and experiences. Although this book hinges on frustrating mis-communication, this does, at least, makes the eventual release that much more cathartic.
Far better than I was expecting; a very readable romance. Definitely a slow-burn, but one that the witty dialog easily carries the reader through.
One oddity worth mentioning is the page layout, which presents each paragraph almost in isolation, with only one or two per page. Although this initially seemed an idiosyncratic choice, I actually found that it worked in the book's favour as it gave each paragraph greater emphasis, which in turn gave the dialogues added weight.
A generous 4 stars. On the plus side, this is short, fast and action-packed, with a good chunk of hard-science. On the negative side, there is almost zero characterization or in-depth analysis of motives; A happens because B happens because C happens. The story has a beginning and end, but almost completely skips the middle.
If you're looking for a quick read, this will do the job. If you're looking for any depth, probably put this in the back-burner until you're stuck on a plane.
A fun interlude between Stormlight books, particularly welcome as it allows Lopen, everyone’s favourite Hardazian, to have more of a story. It also sheds light on some of the more esoteric Roshar mysteries.
Although theoretically this is the 4th in the series, in practice this is a standalone novel. As such, it perfectly captures Becky Chambers' low-key style, which is less about Events and more about relationships. The whole series is recommended, however this makes a good starting point.
Given this sells itself as a kid's book, this is far better than I was expecting. Some nice dark turns, and some surprisingly meaty subjects addressed. Impressive - and not just for kids.
I'm not entirely sure what the point of this was. Yes, it told a story that went from point A to point B, but nothing much seemed to have changed in the end: the horrible dystopia was still a horrible dystopia but, hey, at least you now have the prospect of getting Siri implanted in your brain.. In addition, the story seemed to rely on some pretty spectacular coincidences (the main character has been invited to join the very space station that is at the center of the Machinehood, and she happens to have the perfect illness to uncover corporate shenanigans, and her sister-in-law just so happens to have the exact skillset to uncover said shenanigans), and there basic plot seemed to be high implausible "hey, we have a new technology; as a sales device we will revert the planet technology level by 100 years, causing widespread death and destruction, but we'll get away with it because, whoopsie, maybe we overstepped the mark".
DNF, more because this wasn't really what i was looking for, rather than a problem with the book. Personally, I would hesitate to call this fantasy, since the single fantastical element - the ability to see a red thread that reacts to relationships - has virtually zero impact on the story. This could be removed from the story entirely and have zero effect (other than removing some odd, and I presume unintentional, faintly phallic imagery when each person's thread reacts to those around them). This is more a light drama about relationships (with some heavier drama related to the protagonist's frankly horrific relationship with their mother). If that's what you're looking for, I think you'll have a better experience with this book than me.
This was short and fun, but an awful lot of hand-waving was involved. I am curious exactly what proportion of the work is Hamilton's and which is Powell's, since this felt a little under-powered for a Peter F. Hamilton novel (although, to be honest, I've only read his longer works, so maybe this is typical).
I'm not sure whether to rate this 4 starts or 5 stars. On the one hand, the world-building is amazing and actually feels like the book was written in the 19th Century. On the other hand, the book assumes a virtually expert-level knowledge of 19th Century sailing terminology. How you get on with the book will largely depend on how willing you are to set aside the dictionary and just go with the flow.
In any event, the book is very well written and is genuinely thrilling at times (in fact, one of the battles manages to be thrilling even though witnessed from a distance). I'm very much looking forward to the next in the series...
Update upon completion: as others have said, the second book (or half) is a vast improvement on the first. Consequently I am upgrading this to a 4 star rating.
The second book feels much more like it's own thing, and less an imitation of other books. The action and events are far more varied and the epithet “epic” seems more appropriate.
Having said that, I don't feel a desire to read more in this universe.
Previous review: At the half-way point (i.e. the end of Book 1), this is proving a bit of a slog, although, on the plus side, at least it is feeling less derivative then the beginning of the story. From reading other reviews, it appears it may pick up from here on in - finger's crossed...
After the excellent Gideon the Ninth, this is continuing to prove to be a great trilogy. Granted, this second part unfolds in an, at times, frustratingly non-linear and opaque manner, but this is intentional, as becomes clear later on. Once all of the threads begin to coalesce, the story moves at a blistering pace. Can't wait for the final book!
A good solid norse-inspired story, albeit with one or two too convenient story twists that don't appear to serve much purpose other than to get the story from A to B (the rescue by a giant raven, which also happens to drop in certain characters was particularly egregious). Despite these misgivings, I am tempted to give the sequel a try.
Fast paced and enthusiastic, although I can kind of understand some of the other reviews that comment on the way it is written, which does initially seem idiosyncratic. I assume this is intentional however since, once you tune into it, it does give a good impression of the main character's thought processes. It did sometimes remind me of Monty Python's Four Yorkshiremen (I swear there was at least one exchange that was inspired by this), but ultimately this added to the charm.
At times frustrating. At times beautiful. Both, I feel, are intentional.
A Christmas Carol for the modern age.
Hmm. An odd one; a 4 star beginning with a 2 star ending. The world-building in the first third of the book is very good, basing itself on a largely unfamiliar culture and managing to integrate this into a futuristic setting well. Once the story moves out into the universe however, the wheels come off rapidly.
The first clue that something unsatisfactory is happening is when an entire swath of characters and experiences are skimmed over in what feels like a paragraph. Granted, they are soon after all killed off, but this does give the impression that the author is not really interested in building relationships, or, indeed, padding out the plot with anything that doesn't directly relate to the milestones.
From this point on, the plot doesn't so much have holes, as gaping chasms. The behaviour of the characters bears no resemblance to real-life in any shape or form, unless you are incredibly naïve. The fact that a horrific terrorist event has no negative consequences whatsoever is unbelievable to the extreme. Just because something is YA, but this doesn't mean that events needs to be that unrealistic.
So, in word: disappointing.
A fabulous novella that deals with the day-to-day activities of an extra-solar mission. Not a book to be read for the events (which tend to be of the more realistically mundane kind) but more one to be read for the experience. A bit like a gentler version of The Martian, this takes you through the experience of a deep space mission, with its up and downs, excitements and boredoms. Ultimately this is an ode to the desire to explore and understand, with a focus on the why rather than the what.
3.5. Good in parts, but I never really found myself caring for most of the characters. Not sure whether I'll read the next in the series...
An imaginative take on Arthurian legend, but I guess I'm not really the target audience; a bit more Y than A for my tastes. More than a passing hint of Twilight. Despite this, it is largely well-written, and works towards a satisfying conclusion (while firmly sign-posting the next in the series).
One side note: The narrator for the audiobook had an odd cadence, with sudden changes of tone that kept bringing me out of the story. It was still a good reading, but I wonder if something went wrong in the edit.