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katyanaish's review
5.0
Well. Wow.
Okay, so, I've been blitzing through this series... and I do mean blitzing. Anyone who follows my reviews will notice that I have read these first 8 books in probably the last 10 days. And so you'll know that I liked the first 3 or so VERY much. Disliked the next 3 VERY much. Was hopeful after the last book. And now we're here.
Guys, I loved everything about this book. And I bawled my eyeballs out through most of it. I mean, at a couple points, huge sobs meant I had to get it together to continue onward.
The two threads I've hated most in earlier books - "Jeff the jealous douche" and "let's keep Kitty in the dark on what's going on, to "protect" her, even though it backfired on us the last 234987 times but maybe it will really work this time" - seem to be officially dead, as neither was a real presence in this book. And hallelujah for that. Additionally, we have less of Reader swinging the big dick (and being a big dick) about "YOU WILL ALL RESPECT MY AUTHORI-TAY" (yes, Cartman-style), which was the thing seriously getting on my nerves since the DipCorps transition. So hooray for that.
I don't want to talk about a whole lot, because I feel like almost anything will be a spoiler. So incredibly much goes on in this book, and all of it is just captivating. It's an emotional rollercoaster. I just want to say one thing, to folks who were perhaps as unhappy with the earlier books as I was: this book is well-worth holding out for. I'm so happy I did.
One other thing I want to talk about that I haven't mentioned in other reviews of this series. I know the pacing of this series is break-neck, and sometimes it feels exhausting. But I also think that's why I've been so captivated by the series. It's a fascinating and unusual way to move through a plot. In most other books - including my favorites - the heroes unfold / unravel the evil plot piece by piece... like building a puzzle that you patiently assemble as you get each new piece and figure out where it goes, slowly revealing the picture.
In this series, every time the heroes get a new piece, they make plans, form theories, and re-assess what they think the picture is. They're not always right, or not entirely right, and so through the book there's a constant narrative of refining the plan and re-assessing the picture as they move forward and we find a new piece. That means we get false starts, like "OMG THIS is where they are going!" We also get plans they are put into motion and are later discarded -. It makes the pacing very fast and sometimes confusing. But it also makes it ... very real. And I think that's why I am so sucked into the series. Because in reality, there would be no calm, patient puzzle solving. You'd have a theory, an alternate theory (probably several)... and plans and contingencies for handling them. All that you'd be constantly reshaping on the fly as you move forward and learn more. I honestly don't know that I've ever read another book written that conveys that kind of ... erratic, reactive scramble to put things together on the fly better than the books in this series.
And that's why even the books that seriously pissed me off a few books ago didn't end up being deal-breakers, because the fascination on the threads finally pulling together was enough to keep me invested. I'm not saying I wouldn't have thrown in the towel if that continued on - I would have, because I was hitting a place where I seriously disliked several major characters - but it's why I held out longer than I think I usually would.
I just wanted to touch on that, because it's so different from anything I can recall reading before. I love it, and I'm excited to see where it goes next. But I need a pause. Like, for a day or two. Because I'm all cried out, and I can't imagine things will get easier from here.
*****5 stars*****
Okay, so, I've been blitzing through this series... and I do mean blitzing. Anyone who follows my reviews will notice that I have read these first 8 books in probably the last 10 days. And so you'll know that I liked the first 3 or so VERY much. Disliked the next 3 VERY much. Was hopeful after the last book. And now we're here.
Guys, I loved everything about this book. And I bawled my eyeballs out through most of it. I mean, at a couple points, huge sobs meant I had to get it together to continue onward.
The two threads I've hated most in earlier books - "Jeff the jealous douche" and "let's keep Kitty in the dark on what's going on, to "protect" her, even though it backfired on us the last 234987 times but maybe it will really work this time" - seem to be officially dead, as neither was a real presence in this book. And hallelujah for that. Additionally, we have less of Reader swinging the big dick (and being a big dick) about "YOU WILL ALL RESPECT MY AUTHORI-TAY" (yes, Cartman-style), which was the thing seriously getting on my nerves since the DipCorps transition. So hooray for that.
I don't want to talk about a whole lot, because I feel like almost anything will be a spoiler. So incredibly much goes on in this book, and all of it is just captivating. It's an emotional rollercoaster. I just want to say one thing, to folks who were perhaps as unhappy with the earlier books as I was: this book is well-worth holding out for. I'm so happy I did.
One other thing I want to talk about that I haven't mentioned in other reviews of this series. I know the pacing of this series is break-neck, and sometimes it feels exhausting. But I also think that's why I've been so captivated by the series. It's a fascinating and unusual way to move through a plot. In most other books - including my favorites - the heroes unfold / unravel the evil plot piece by piece... like building a puzzle that you patiently assemble as you get each new piece and figure out where it goes, slowly revealing the picture.
In this series, every time the heroes get a new piece, they make plans, form theories, and re-assess what they think the picture is. They're not always right, or not entirely right, and so through the book there's a constant narrative of refining the plan and re-assessing the picture as they move forward and we find a new piece. That means we get false starts, like "OMG THIS is where they are going!" We also get plans they are put into motion and are later discarded -
Spoiler
the elaborate funeral ruse in this book, for exampleAnd that's why even the books that seriously pissed me off a few books ago didn't end up being deal-breakers, because the fascination on the threads finally pulling together was enough to keep me invested. I'm not saying I wouldn't have thrown in the towel if that continued on - I would have, because I was hitting a place where I seriously disliked several major characters - but it's why I held out longer than I think I usually would.
I just wanted to touch on that, because it's so different from anything I can recall reading before. I love it, and I'm excited to see where it goes next. But I need a pause. Like, for a day or two. Because I'm all cried out, and I can't imagine things will get easier from here.
*****5 stars*****
blodeuedd's review against another edition
4.0
Will Kitty ever get a quiet day? The answer is no. There are always plots out there to take them down.
Now how to review this book? Omg, you can't review a Koch book properly. I can't begin to explain all the things going on, it has to be experienced. You know what, I just realized what an awesome tv-series this would be..ok back to the point now.
Stuff is going down! Evil guys are back. Plans are made. Crazy religious nuts are protesting. ACE is still missing. There will be struggles.
This book felt darker than the rest, I will not tell you why, but it was.
Non-stop action and good things at the end that made me want to read more at once. Oh oh! I almost forgot about a certain revelation, I did not see that coming!
See, the review makes no sense. Just go and read this series!
Cover
Love
Now how to review this book? Omg, you can't review a Koch book properly. I can't begin to explain all the things going on, it has to be experienced. You know what, I just realized what an awesome tv-series this would be..ok back to the point now.
Stuff is going down! Evil guys are back. Plans are made. Crazy religious nuts are protesting. ACE is still missing. There will be struggles.
This book felt darker than the rest, I will not tell you why, but it was.
Non-stop action and good things at the end that made me want to read more at once. Oh oh! I almost forgot about a certain revelation, I did not see that coming!
See, the review makes no sense. Just go and read this series!
Cover
Love
vikcs's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lessa_riel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bewoelkt_aber_heiter's review against another edition
4.0
Es ist immer wieder erstaunlich, wie viel Spaß und Spannung die Alien-Romane mit sich bringen. Kittys Ton voller Humor, Sarkasmus und frecher Retourkutschen sorgt dafür, dass die action- und spannungsreichen Geschichten nicht zu düster werden und die Crew um Kitty und Jeff kennt man inzwischen fast so gut wie die eigene Familie. Der Cast an Figuren ist mir allerdings inzwischen fast etwas zu groß. Nach längerer Zeit zwischen den Bänden bleiben einfach nicht alle der zahlreichen Nebenfiguren im Gedächtnis. Insgesamt schafft es die Autorin aber recht gut, Erinnerungshilfen einzubauen, ohne dass dies in langatmige Zusammenfassungen vorangegangener Bände ausartet.
In Alien Research sehen wir Kitty erfreulicherweise wieder stärker als "Agentin" denn als Diplomatin im Einsatz, da sie kurzfristig als Kommandeur einspringen muss, als der Kontakt zum Hauptquartier der AC-Aliens abbricht. Damit nähert sich dieser Band wieder den frühen Romanen der Reihe an und das kann ich nur begrüßen, da mich die politischen Intrigen und Missionen nicht ganz so packen, auch wenn sie bisher genauso unterhaltsam waren. Dieser Band bringt einige schmerzhafte Verlust mit sich und ist nicht zuletzt dadurch ergreifend und in gewissem Maße auch realistisch, denn auch Kitty kann eben nicht jede Katastrophe verhindern, auch wenn sie großartig ist und wie immer Verbindungen zwischen scheinbar völlig zusammenhangslosen Informationen und Vorkommnissen herstellen kann, auf die man selbst nie gekommen wäre. Wie immer also ein wildes und witziges Abenteuer, das bestens unterhalten kann.
In Alien Research sehen wir Kitty erfreulicherweise wieder stärker als "Agentin" denn als Diplomatin im Einsatz, da sie kurzfristig als Kommandeur einspringen muss, als der Kontakt zum Hauptquartier der AC-Aliens abbricht. Damit nähert sich dieser Band wieder den frühen Romanen der Reihe an und das kann ich nur begrüßen, da mich die politischen Intrigen und Missionen nicht ganz so packen, auch wenn sie bisher genauso unterhaltsam waren. Dieser Band bringt einige schmerzhafte Verlust mit sich und ist nicht zuletzt dadurch ergreifend und in gewissem Maße auch realistisch, denn auch Kitty kann eben nicht jede Katastrophe verhindern, auch wenn sie großartig ist und wie immer Verbindungen zwischen scheinbar völlig zusammenhangslosen Informationen und Vorkommnissen herstellen kann, auf die man selbst nie gekommen wäre. Wie immer also ein wildes und witziges Abenteuer, das bestens unterhalten kann.
lalabristow's review against another edition
5.0
Originally Posted at Welcome to Larissa & Friends' Bookish Life
It's that time of the year again, time for another Alien novel by the awesome Gini Koch. The Katherine "Kitty" Katt series is one of my all time favorites and Gini continues to deliver amazing heart-stopping stories that make me keep begging for more each time.
Alien Research is no exception and I will go as far to say that it might the best Alien novel yet.
I mean, I personally LOVE all of Gini's books and this series sucks you in like no other, but after a while and a few books in, things tend to slow down a bit. That couldn't be further from the truth in Alien research.
I do recommend tou read the previous novels before sinking your teeth into this one. This is not a series you can just pick up anywhere and even I that have read all the books can get a bit overwhelmed by all the characters that exist in this fantastic world.
However, I did feel I could follow everything and enjoy the novel just as much even if O couldnt really place a couple people mentioned. i haven said this to Gini on Twitter, that I feel the Alien series would greatly benefit from a Character Guide/Glossary at the end of the novels :)
All in all, Alien Research had me panting for the next page at every second. Kitty, Martini and co get themselves in huge messes as usual and with it bring on the hilarity and extremely fast paced action. I LOVED IT!
If you enjoy Sci-fi that tickles your funny bone while not allowing you to but down the book, the Katherine "Kitty" Katt series is definitely the one for you!
It's that time of the year again, time for another Alien novel by the awesome Gini Koch. The Katherine "Kitty" Katt series is one of my all time favorites and Gini continues to deliver amazing heart-stopping stories that make me keep begging for more each time.
Alien Research is no exception and I will go as far to say that it might the best Alien novel yet.
I mean, I personally LOVE all of Gini's books and this series sucks you in like no other, but after a while and a few books in, things tend to slow down a bit. That couldn't be further from the truth in Alien research.
I do recommend tou read the previous novels before sinking your teeth into this one. This is not a series you can just pick up anywhere and even I that have read all the books can get a bit overwhelmed by all the characters that exist in this fantastic world.
However, I did feel I could follow everything and enjoy the novel just as much even if O couldnt really place a couple people mentioned. i haven said this to Gini on Twitter, that I feel the Alien series would greatly benefit from a Character Guide/Glossary at the end of the novels :)
All in all, Alien Research had me panting for the next page at every second. Kitty, Martini and co get themselves in huge messes as usual and with it bring on the hilarity and extremely fast paced action. I LOVED IT!
If you enjoy Sci-fi that tickles your funny bone while not allowing you to but down the book, the Katherine "Kitty" Katt series is definitely the one for you!
melodicfate's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
I keep saying the same thing about the installments of this series, but this story took me quite a while. I enjoyed seeing Kitty and Jeff back in Commander roles again. There was a lot of action and trying to figure out the Big Plan. In this book, though, there was a lot of sadness. This is really where things get real. I definitely need to figure out how some characters end up after the way this novel went. It was a crazy mix of emotions, and the series will be different from now on.
I keep saying the same thing about the installments of this series, but this story took me quite a while. I enjoyed seeing Kitty and Jeff back in Commander roles again. There was a lot of action and trying to figure out the Big Plan. In this book, though, there was a lot of sadness. This is really where things get real. I definitely need to figure out how some characters end up after the way this novel went. It was a crazy mix of emotions, and the series will be different from now on.
cj13's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Animal death
jbrooxd's review against another edition
5.0
Great addition to my favorite series! Lots of action, plenty of laughs (especially at the beginning of the book, before the danger kicks in). The good guys take some losses in this book, and while they were sad, they move the overall story forward. A couple long-term secrets in the series are addressed in this book. So much fun - I'm already looking forward to reading it again.
sidrar's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. After the last book of the series that I wasn't terribly impressed with, this was a nice return to form with a dramatic raising of the stakes.