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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
The final installment in the Collapsing Empire trilogy. This story wraps up many of the loose ends from the first two books neatly. Emperox Grayland II (Cardenia) has successfully put down the coup attempt by a large group of nobles that included silver in her own house. Marce is still working to figure out how to use the data he has gathered to find new ways to save the people of the Interdependency. However Nadashae escaped custody and still has her sights set on the throne. The Emperox will try save all of the people of the Interdependency before the Flow shuts down, and so the final installment begins. There is intrigue, danger, and romance before an ending so u expected that anyone who claims they saw coming is a filthy liar. This book was very good and very difficult for me to put down. So why only 4 stars you might ask? Honestly... I wanted it to be longer. I wanted to find out more about what was happening on the End and in more detail (more Vrenna Claremont!). I wanted to see more of what happened after the wrap-up (so many spoiled additionrequests I typed then deleted). To include all the more I want, either the novel needed to double in size or become a series though. Scalzi said it was only to be a trilogy and so it ends. Enjoyable, but at the same time frustrating.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of this book.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of this book.
Scalzi is one of my favorite authors, especially in audiobook format read by Will Wheaton. This series has been my favorite of his and this book is by far the best. Got through the 8.5ish hour audiobook in one day good.
Plus there's this amazing quote
As far as Kiva could tell, whenever selfish humans encountered a gut-wrenching, life-altering crisis, they embarked on a journey of five distinct stages: Denial. Denial. Denial. Fucking Denial. Oh shit everything is terrible grab what you can and run.
Plus there's this amazing quote
As far as Kiva could tell, whenever selfish humans encountered a gut-wrenching, life-altering crisis, they embarked on a journey of five distinct stages: Denial. Denial. Denial. Fucking Denial. Oh shit everything is terrible grab what you can and run.
Started listening to this after giving up on Pushing Ice, and, oh, it's a breath of fresh air. Normally I'd be annoyed by the foul language (particularly when the POV character is Kiva), but right now it's such a relief to have characters with consistent motivations that make sense with their actions. More when I've finished.
...
Very nice conclusion to the trilogy. One moment threw me, but I had a fair idea of what it actually meant, so I was mostly just curious to see how it played out.
It did feel like the end was ... weirdly drawn out in the wrong places and abrupt in places I would have liked to see more. Still enjoyed it, but felt the end needed more something.
Still extremely happy that character actions and motivations did not seem to be drawn from a predetermined script ignoring whether they made any kind of sense together or not.
...
Very nice conclusion to the trilogy. One moment threw me, but I had a fair idea of what it actually meant
Spoiler
Grayland's death. Groundwork had been laid for it to be either a literal fake (like Kiva's), or for her to be uploaded fully, like Chenevert (and another, we find out). A few other details suggested uploading over fakery.It did feel like the end was ... weirdly drawn out in the wrong places and abrupt in places I would have liked to see more. Still enjoyed it, but felt the end needed more something.
Still extremely happy that character actions and motivations did not seem to be drawn from a predetermined script ignoring whether they made any kind of sense together or not.
I’ve postponed this review for almost a month now because the truth is I don’t have much to say about this book. It was a perfectly serviceable finale for the series. It was just as entertaining as the first two books and the fact that parts of the plot were predictable didn’t dim my enjoyment at all.
At the same time, even though it may consider itself very clever, it really isn’t, not compared to the best of sci-fi. The solution the author finds to his conundrum is just about the most banal one possible in the realm of sci-fi. But it works, it’s solidly set up. It packs an emotional punch. In short: it is perfectly serviceable.
The author is well-served by the excellent characters he set up in the previous books. Kiva and the main antagonist continue to shine. The empress is also not one to underestimate.
To sum up: this is the (almost) mindless entertainment type of sci-fi. It’s smart enough that you can tell yourself it’s not just brain candy, but in fact it is that: very high sugar content, almost no fibers. But I’m a sugar junky, what can I say?
At the same time, even though it may consider itself very clever, it really isn’t, not compared to the best of sci-fi. The solution the author finds to his conundrum is just about the most banal one possible in the realm of sci-fi. But it works, it’s solidly set up. It packs an emotional punch. In short: it is perfectly serviceable.
The author is well-served by the excellent characters he set up in the previous books. Kiva and the main antagonist continue to shine. The empress is also not one to underestimate.
To sum up: this is the (almost) mindless entertainment type of sci-fi. It’s smart enough that you can tell yourself it’s not just brain candy, but in fact it is that: very high sugar content, almost no fibers. But I’m a sugar junky, what can I say?
The final installment in the Collapsing Empire trilogy. This story wraps up many of the loose ends from the first two books neatly. Emperox Grayland II (Cardenia) has successfully put down the coup attempt by a large group of nobles that included silver in her own house. Marce is still working to figure out how to use the data he has gathered to find new ways to save the people of the Interdependency. However Nadashae escaped custody and still has her sights set on the throne. The Emperox will try save all of the people of the Interdependency before the Flow shuts down, and so the final installment begins. There is intrigue, danger, and romance before an ending so u expected that anyone who claims they saw coming is a filthy liar. This book was very good and very difficult for me to put down. So why only 4 stars you might ask? Honestly... I wanted it to be longer. I wanted to find out more about what was happening on the End and in more detail (more Vrenna Claremont!). I wanted to see more of what happened after the wrap-up (so many spoiled additionrequests I typed then deleted). To include all the more I want, either the novel needed to double in size or become a series though. Scalzi said it was only to be a trilogy and so it ends. Enjoyable, but at the same time frustrating.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of this book.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of this book.
There were thirty pages left, and I didn't know how he was going to wrap it up, but wrap it up he did, and it was so great to watch it all play out. The end to a series that has been a joy to read over the past months or so, and one I hope to return to in years to come.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I don't know if it should be 5 stars, but I'm doing it because I enjoyed this trilogy so much. They really were page-turners.
The dialog is also fun. Most of the characters I liked the most were given an ability to fire off smart-ass responses. Especially Kiva. ****ing Kiva. I think she was my favorite character.
If you start the first one and find that you like it, then don't wait. Just get the next two have them ready for action.
The dialog is also fun. Most of the characters I liked the most were given an ability to fire off smart-ass responses. Especially Kiva. ****ing Kiva. I think she was my favorite character.
If you start the first one and find that you like it, then don't wait. Just get the next two have them ready for action.