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peterkeep's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars always feels so harsh, but the Goodreads ranking system says that 3 stars means "I liked it," so that's what I'm going off of. When I compare this book to other books I've given 3 stars to, it fits alongside them - books I've enjoyed but haven't necessarily been super invested in.
Control Point is a first book, and I thought it showed a bit. Myke Cole had a lot of cool stuff going for him, but not all of it stuck the landing all of the time. The overall premise is great - [a: Peter V. Brett|1405152|Peter V. Brett|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1265682778p2/1405152.jpg]'s cover quote is pretty perfect: "Blackhawk Down meets the X-Men." It's modern military and magic. There's a lot to love about the idea. Even the main magic, which at first I thought a bit played out, got used in pretty clever and unique ways. It's an elemental, superhero-esque magic system that gets adapted into a military setting, and so there's some REALLY cool action scenes where, without spoiling things, this very popular magic style gets used in ways that are new and almost surprising. There's also a pretty nice cast of characters who aren't "good guys" or "bad guys." While reading, I flip-flopped about 3 or 4 times on who I thought I was "supposed" to be rooting for, because even the real jerks and flawed characters are understandable.
The few things that I didn't love made the book a bit inconsistent for me. The military action sequences were really well done, but they were spread pretty far apart. In between these action scenes, it felt like things ground to a halt while the main character tried to decide whether he was ok with what was happening to him or not. I don't mind slower scenes in stories at all, but it felt like every time things started picking up speed, Britton (the main character) would sit back and think about it all for a couple of pages and really take me out of things. I guess that's the second part that I didn't love. The main character was a bit hard to stand behind sometimes, and not in an anti-hero way. Sometimes it felt like he was a little wishy-washy, and a bit too much of an idealist. At times it was nice to see Britton thinking through his own actions and questioning whether or not he was doing the right thing, but sometimes he ended up thinking himself into a bit of an idealist's corner. When that happened, it was hard to root for him since the world he was surrounded by demanded action instead of philosophy.
Anyways, all around, I enjoyed it. It seems like Myke Cole has a pretty good foundation to build the series on. I've heard that this series gets exponentially better with each book, so I'll definitely keep it on my radar.
Control Point is a first book, and I thought it showed a bit. Myke Cole had a lot of cool stuff going for him, but not all of it stuck the landing all of the time. The overall premise is great - [a: Peter V. Brett|1405152|Peter V. Brett|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1265682778p2/1405152.jpg]'s cover quote is pretty perfect: "Blackhawk Down meets the X-Men." It's modern military and magic. There's a lot to love about the idea. Even the main magic, which at first I thought a bit played out, got used in pretty clever and unique ways. It's an elemental, superhero-esque magic system that gets adapted into a military setting, and so there's some REALLY cool action scenes where, without spoiling things, this very popular magic style gets used in ways that are new and almost surprising. There's also a pretty nice cast of characters who aren't "good guys" or "bad guys." While reading, I flip-flopped about 3 or 4 times on who I thought I was "supposed" to be rooting for, because even the real jerks and flawed characters are understandable.
The few things that I didn't love made the book a bit inconsistent for me. The military action sequences were really well done, but they were spread pretty far apart. In between these action scenes, it felt like things ground to a halt while the main character tried to decide whether he was ok with what was happening to him or not. I don't mind slower scenes in stories at all, but it felt like every time things started picking up speed, Britton (the main character) would sit back and think about it all for a couple of pages and really take me out of things. I guess that's the second part that I didn't love. The main character was a bit hard to stand behind sometimes, and not in an anti-hero way. Sometimes it felt like he was a little wishy-washy, and a bit too much of an idealist. At times it was nice to see Britton thinking through his own actions and questioning whether or not he was doing the right thing, but sometimes he ended up thinking himself into a bit of an idealist's corner. When that happened, it was hard to root for him since the world he was surrounded by demanded action instead of philosophy.
Anyways, all around, I enjoyed it. It seems like Myke Cole has a pretty good foundation to build the series on. I've heard that this series gets exponentially better with each book, so I'll definitely keep it on my radar.
the_mitch's review
1.0
the number of misused military buzz words was unforgivable in the first chapter alone
Could even finish the first chapter. Would make a decent anime, but not even a mediocre sci-fi novel. Will not be reading more.
Could even finish the first chapter. Would make a decent anime, but not even a mediocre sci-fi novel. Will not be reading more.
being_b's review against another edition
Stopped after 10%. Lots of frenetic action, but the writing isn't good enough to keep up-- it was hard to know who was where, what was real and what was in the main character's head, etc. The world and characters felt flat and contrived. Really, I should have stopped right away when the word chosen to refer to people whose magical ability had already manifested was... "Latent."
itsfreelancer's review against another edition
4.0
This is going to be a tad tough to review.
I absolutely loved the plot and hated the story at the same time. A mix of modern-day world with a Middle Earth setting dumped in. Imagine, dragons and dungeons but with assault rifles and Apache helicopters.
The main character, clearly overpowered is a real pain in the wrong hole. There are people who understand from their mistakes and then there's this guy. Even teenagers aren't as confused as our reluctant hero. Halfway through the book, I realised that this guy is never gonna change and the only way the plot is going to expand is if he does something stupid and the next few chapters on how to rectify it. The action sequences are superb. Magic, modern weapons, goblins and God knows what creatures.
Control Point is about people who wake up to powers they didn't want and hence doesn't know what to do with it while being on the run by government authorities because you weren't supposed to have those powers in the first place. See the trouble? It's the same with our hero who figured he had his future planned out and then tossed it out of the window. The book explores what freedom means while maintaining the thin line between want, need and duty.
Who are the good guys, you ask? Damned if I know. You can read this book and end it here or pick up the next one to make sense of what the fuck is actually happening and hope there is a semblance of normality and a purpose. Because right now, neither I nor the main protagonist knows what's that.
I absolutely loved the plot and hated the story at the same time. A mix of modern-day world with a Middle Earth setting dumped in. Imagine, dragons and dungeons but with assault rifles and Apache helicopters.
The main character, clearly overpowered is a real pain in the wrong hole. There are people who understand from their mistakes and then there's this guy. Even teenagers aren't as confused as our reluctant hero. Halfway through the book, I realised that this guy is never gonna change and the only way the plot is going to expand is if he does something stupid and the next few chapters on how to rectify it. The action sequences are superb. Magic, modern weapons, goblins and God knows what creatures.
Control Point is about people who wake up to powers they didn't want and hence doesn't know what to do with it while being on the run by government authorities because you weren't supposed to have those powers in the first place. See the trouble? It's the same with our hero who figured he had his future planned out and then tossed it out of the window. The book explores what freedom means while maintaining the thin line between want, need and duty.
Who are the good guys, you ask? Damned if I know. You can read this book and end it here or pick up the next one to make sense of what the fuck is actually happening and hope there is a semblance of normality and a purpose. Because right now, neither I nor the main protagonist knows what's that.
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
3.0
This book is the first in a military fantasy series set in a world where magical abilities have started to surface. The protagonist, Oscar Britton, begins the book as an army officer tasked with stopping two high-schoolers who are illegally using magic. It's a strong opening, immediate and urgent and with a gritty military energy. The book has strong action sequences throughout, but I didn't love it the way the opening had led me to anticipate. I think there are two principal reasons for this -- spoilers ahead....
Spoiler
Firstly, I wanted Britton to be more likable. I'm a reader who prefers protagonists on the virtuous end of the moral spectrum: gray perhaps, but a pale gray. Although I sympathized with Britton's predicament, I was upset by the bodycount he left in his wake, a bodycount encompassing many people whom I assume were neither heroes nor villains: a police officer, soldiers, goblins, Apache women and children and elderly couples. Secondly, the depiction of magic felt implausible to me: instead of suspending my disbelief, I found myself in critical mode. Also, a lesser gripe, one common to many other fantasy novels: magical healing seemed too powerful and too convenient. Despite my grumbles, I enjoyed this, and the book ended well, setting the stage for a new era.patchworkbunny's review
2.0
The human race is evolving. Across the world, super powers are manifesting in ordinary people. But the US government has deemed many of these powers to be illegal. Lieutenant Oscar Britton is a loyal army man, even working alongside the Supernatural Operations Corps to police the new law. Selfers, those who choose to run, must not be allowed to live. When SOC murder a teenage girl after she had been subdued, Britton starts to doubt his duty. Then the unexpected happens; he manifests a rare and prohibited power. He can either run or choose to die.
This might seem a bit out of my comfort zone, and you’d be right, but I was intrigued by the idea of a supernatural military. It jumps straight into the action at the beginning and whilst there is a glossary provided at the back, I found all the military jargon went over my head and found the action hard to follow. If I were ever in a real combat situation, I’d be all “What? I don’t understand!” just before getting shot. I am willing to concede that action-based books aren’t really my thing but Control Point shifts its focus about a third of the way through.
The probes (that’s people with prohibited magic powers) are sent off to a magical military school. So we know one character is definitely a teenager, but does that explain why all the recruits sound like them? Including Oscar, who was definitely introduced as a full-grown man. He suddenly seems to be acting like a sullen boy. I could have easily lifted out a section and presented it as young adult. The whole situation is classic YA dystopian; kids ruled under an iron fist by unfair and prejudiced leaders (that would be the military officers). But I really don’t think they are meant to be kids. And Oscar repeatedly saying “She’s just a kid” gets rather annoying.
So, you’re probably wondering why I carried on reading. Around half way, it starts to settle into some common ground between military and magic school and a goal is introduced. Finally, something to aim for! Plus there are several interesting minor characters. The passages with Marty the goblin healer were the best bits and I’d seriously read a spin-off series about him and his fellow goblins. Scylla, locked away in her box, also piqued my interest although she never panned out to be a complicated enough character for my taste. Indeed, many of the characters are a bit obvious.
Each chapter is headed by a faux quote from a person of authority, official document or the media. These are actually pretty good and shouldn’t be skipped over (unless you’re all about the action). They form a sort of oral history of the world post “re-awakening”, which in turn makes up for the lack of world-building within the main text. There are some valid points in there and I’d liked to have more of a political slant. If you strip away the magical elements, it doesn’t paint a rosy picture of how the military can handle things. I got to the end not really understanding why they were at war and with who, something that unfortunately happens in the real world.
I am calling Oscar Britton by his first name as that’s more natural for me, but most the time he is referred to as Britton. I’m pretty sure this is a military thing and the formality around a lot of the characters is a bit hard to get past. Maybe that’s why Marty and Scylla appealed. Also some of the characters are referred to as their power, eg. the hydromancer, instead of their names. I found this very confusing, especially as a lot of the powers had been glossed over.
I wouldn’t run to read Fortress Frontier straight away, but there was enough of an improvement in the second half that I would consider picking it up in the future.
This might seem a bit out of my comfort zone, and you’d be right, but I was intrigued by the idea of a supernatural military. It jumps straight into the action at the beginning and whilst there is a glossary provided at the back, I found all the military jargon went over my head and found the action hard to follow. If I were ever in a real combat situation, I’d be all “What? I don’t understand!” just before getting shot. I am willing to concede that action-based books aren’t really my thing but Control Point shifts its focus about a third of the way through.
The probes (that’s people with prohibited magic powers) are sent off to a magical military school. So we know one character is definitely a teenager, but does that explain why all the recruits sound like them? Including Oscar, who was definitely introduced as a full-grown man. He suddenly seems to be acting like a sullen boy. I could have easily lifted out a section and presented it as young adult. The whole situation is classic YA dystopian; kids ruled under an iron fist by unfair and prejudiced leaders (that would be the military officers). But I really don’t think they are meant to be kids. And Oscar repeatedly saying “She’s just a kid” gets rather annoying.
So, you’re probably wondering why I carried on reading. Around half way, it starts to settle into some common ground between military and magic school and a goal is introduced. Finally, something to aim for! Plus there are several interesting minor characters. The passages with Marty the goblin healer were the best bits and I’d seriously read a spin-off series about him and his fellow goblins. Scylla, locked away in her box, also piqued my interest although she never panned out to be a complicated enough character for my taste. Indeed, many of the characters are a bit obvious.
Each chapter is headed by a faux quote from a person of authority, official document or the media. These are actually pretty good and shouldn’t be skipped over (unless you’re all about the action). They form a sort of oral history of the world post “re-awakening”, which in turn makes up for the lack of world-building within the main text. There are some valid points in there and I’d liked to have more of a political slant. If you strip away the magical elements, it doesn’t paint a rosy picture of how the military can handle things. I got to the end not really understanding why they were at war and with who, something that unfortunately happens in the real world.
I am calling Oscar Britton by his first name as that’s more natural for me, but most the time he is referred to as Britton. I’m pretty sure this is a military thing and the formality around a lot of the characters is a bit hard to get past. Maybe that’s why Marty and Scylla appealed. Also some of the characters are referred to as their power, eg. the hydromancer, instead of their names. I found this very confusing, especially as a lot of the powers had been glossed over.
I wouldn’t run to read Fortress Frontier straight away, but there was enough of an improvement in the second half that I would consider picking it up in the future.
gwadej's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
It felt like the character made many decisions that were intended to move the plot along, even when the decisions did not seem to make sense for the character. I had trouble liking the character for that reason.
whiskyrob's review
2.0
I liked the plot and the premise and most of the characters. It was a very interesting take on the mil-sf genre. However, the main character ruined it all for me. So much angst! You'd think he was a prepubescent teen who'd just discovered The Cure and black hair dye rather than a thirty something adult who's been in the military since he was old enough to join. I mean, just make a decision about what you're doing and stick with it, instead of whining back and forth between whatever's most convenient for you at the time! Jeebus! Pretty much completely ruined it for me.
This is the second time I've tried to reread it and it still annoys me.
This is the second time I've tried to reread it and it still annoys me.
jmoses's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. The world was interesting, but the characters felt flat, and unpredictable.
It wasn't bad, per se, viewed purely as entertainment, but I probably won't read the rest.
It wasn't bad, per se, viewed purely as entertainment, but I probably won't read the rest.
tani's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was a really good first effort. I liked the magic and the ethical questions. I could realistically see our government/world handling magic in just such a way as this. I do see where some people are coming from with the character issues, but I equally see where the author was coming from with them. I think they're valid issues, but Cole doesn't quite have the writing skills yet to pull them off in a way that will truly convince all readers. I think he will, it's just a matter of practice.
So, I was excited to see that the next book doesn't have Oscar as the central character, even though I didn't hate him, and I will certainly be looking forward to getting my hands on it. :)
So, I was excited to see that the next book doesn't have Oscar as the central character, even though I didn't hate him, and I will certainly be looking forward to getting my hands on it. :)