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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
Great finale for the story. It went a way that I didn't expect it to.
I rarely read a book immediately upon its release, but I preordered this one from my beloved Print when they had to close to the public, so it arrived one day after release! Anyway, I love this series. This was a satisfying, if not wildly surprising, conclusion. I enjoyed the whole series - in general, I like Scalzi’s approach to sci-fi, his characters always remain engagingly human, even when the scale is wild.
Be still my beating heart. I am in love with this trilogy.
This was a fantastic reintroduction to the world of science fiction (the first book in this series, The Collapsing Empire was technically my reintroduction). It makes me want to go write my own space opera. For real though, it had an awesome plot, fantastic writing, WLW romance, and an Emperox! The way gender is perceived within this trilogy is refreshing and I enjoyed the casualness of it all.
This final book of the trilogy wrapped things up beautifully. Though not without some sadness. I am so sad Cardenia “died.” I liked what ended up happening, and ultimately it was the most strategic move possible in the given situation. Xi’an is full of awful, awful people. Like the real world! My heart broke for Marce, how incredibly sad to find someone you want to spend your life with only to have them be taken away so quickly from you. Devastating. I’m also sad that Nadashe didn’t die. I do wonder what made Scalzi decide to not only keep one Nohamapetan alive, but THREE! That was definitely an interesting choice. He clearly isn’t above killing characters, so I will be wondering that for a while yet (I’ll have to see what other readers think of that particular choice).
I LOVED Kiva as the last Emperor and I DID NOT see that coming. I thought it was going to be Marce even though it wouldn’t have been a great fit. So glad that it was our kick ass, foul mouthed Kiva who got to take the crown away from Nadashe. That coronation scene was fantastic.
Scalzi is a witty, tongue in cheek author who constantly had me laughing and wondering what was coming next. His style of writing is so unique and reads almost as if he were telling me the story rather than me reading it. After a little time, I may go take a listen to the audiobooks since they’re narrated by Will Wheaton! So awesome.
All in all, loved this conclusion to a great sci-fi trilogy. I especially love the message that when one thing ends, another begins.
This was a fantastic reintroduction to the world of science fiction (the first book in this series, The Collapsing Empire was technically my reintroduction). It makes me want to go write my own space opera. For real though, it had an awesome plot, fantastic writing, WLW romance, and an Emperox! The way gender is perceived within this trilogy is refreshing and I enjoyed the casualness of it all.
This final book of the trilogy wrapped things up beautifully. Though not without some sadness. I am so sad Cardenia “died.” I liked what ended up happening, and ultimately it was the most strategic move possible in the given situation. Xi’an is full of awful, awful people. Like the real world! My heart broke for Marce, how incredibly sad to find someone you want to spend your life with only to have them be taken away so quickly from you. Devastating. I’m also sad that Nadashe didn’t die. I do wonder what made Scalzi decide to not only keep one Nohamapetan alive, but THREE! That was definitely an interesting choice. He clearly isn’t above killing characters, so I will be wondering that for a while yet (I’ll have to see what other readers think of that particular choice).
I LOVED Kiva as the last Emperor and I DID NOT see that coming. I thought it was going to be Marce even though it wouldn’t have been a great fit. So glad that it was our kick ass, foul mouthed Kiva who got to take the crown away from Nadashe. That coronation scene was fantastic.
Scalzi is a witty, tongue in cheek author who constantly had me laughing and wondering what was coming next. His style of writing is so unique and reads almost as if he were telling me the story rather than me reading it. After a little time, I may go take a listen to the audiobooks since they’re narrated by Will Wheaton! So awesome.
All in all, loved this conclusion to a great sci-fi trilogy. I especially love the message that when one thing ends, another begins.
Outstanding conclusion to the series. Thanks John Scalzi!
adventurous
funny
medium-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
I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’m not sure they’ll ever give me another one. Oh well.
I read this book a few days ago, and dashed off a first draft of this review, and came back a few days later, because I have been pondering how to write a “fair” review. How much were my expectations affecting my view of this book?
The “fairest” I can be, is to think through How I would view this if I had just received the 3 texts from netgalley, so That all I knew was it was a published trilogy, with no knowledge of the author or The publisher or The price; in other words, a completely cold read.
The upshot is as follows: it was a kind of okay Facile yarn. I’d assume it’s a freebie or a cheapie from an inexperienced author who self published them. There are some good ideas and the voice is beguiling. To be fair it was an improvement on the second book which was clearly a first draft which was released by mistake. This clearly talented author really really really needs to work with a good editor to think through his world building, his writing and his characters. He is a very fluent tale teller, but my goodness, everything else needed work. This has got to be one of the “toldest” books I have ever read - as to a 10 year old maybe? Reading it is to experience the author outlining the book and the story. Most disappointing is that the political/history/world building elements essential to such a story are absent...in a series about a collapsing interstellar empire.
So if you need something superficial and undemanding to listen to while in hospital, and you can get it for free, maybe give it a go.
As I am in fact well aware of the author and the publisher, I just hope that down the track Scalzi returns to these books and fleshes them out properly. This really feels like a missed opportunity.
I read this book a few days ago, and dashed off a first draft of this review, and came back a few days later, because I have been pondering how to write a “fair” review. How much were my expectations affecting my view of this book?
The “fairest” I can be, is to think through How I would view this if I had just received the 3 texts from netgalley, so That all I knew was it was a published trilogy, with no knowledge of the author or The publisher or The price; in other words, a completely cold read.
The upshot is as follows: it was a kind of okay Facile yarn. I’d assume it’s a freebie or a cheapie from an inexperienced author who self published them. There are some good ideas and the voice is beguiling. To be fair it was an improvement on the second book which was clearly a first draft which was released by mistake. This clearly talented author really really really needs to work with a good editor to think through his world building, his writing and his characters. He is a very fluent tale teller, but my goodness, everything else needed work. This has got to be one of the “toldest” books I have ever read - as to a 10 year old maybe? Reading it is to experience the author outlining the book and the story. Most disappointing is that the political/history/world building elements essential to such a story are absent...in a series about a collapsing interstellar empire.
So if you need something superficial and undemanding to listen to while in hospital, and you can get it for free, maybe give it a go.
As I am in fact well aware of the author and the publisher, I just hope that down the track Scalzi returns to these books and fleshes them out properly. This really feels like a missed opportunity.
I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’m not sure they’ll ever give me another one. Oh well.
I read this book a few days ago, and dashed off a first draft of this review, and came back a few days later, because I have been pondering how to write a “fair” review. How much were my expectations affecting my view of this book?
The “fairest” I can be, is to think through How I would view this if I had just received the 3 texts from netgalley, so That all I knew was it was a published trilogy, with no knowledge of the author or The publisher or The price; in other words, a completely cold read.
The upshot is as follows: it was a kind of okay Facile yarn. I’d assume it’s a freebie or a cheapie from an inexperienced author who self published them. There are some good ideas and the voice is beguiling. To be fair it was an improvement on the second book which was clearly a first draft which was released by mistake. This clearly talented author really really really needs to work with a good editor to think through his world building, his writing and his characters. He is a very fluent tale teller, but my goodness, everything else needed work. This has got to be one of the “toldest” books I have ever read - as to a 10 year old maybe? Reading it is to experience the author outlining the book and the story. Most disappointing is that the political/history/world building elements essential to such a story are absent...in a series about a collapsing interstellar empire.
So if you need something superficial and undemanding to listen to while in hospital, and you can get it for free, maybe give it a go.
As I am in fact well aware of the author and the publisher, I just hope that down the track Scalzi returns to these books and fleshes them out properly. This really feels like a missed opportunity.
I read this book a few days ago, and dashed off a first draft of this review, and came back a few days later, because I have been pondering how to write a “fair” review. How much were my expectations affecting my view of this book?
The “fairest” I can be, is to think through How I would view this if I had just received the 3 texts from netgalley, so That all I knew was it was a published trilogy, with no knowledge of the author or The publisher or The price; in other words, a completely cold read.
The upshot is as follows: it was a kind of okay Facile yarn. I’d assume it’s a freebie or a cheapie from an inexperienced author who self published them. There are some good ideas and the voice is beguiling. To be fair it was an improvement on the second book which was clearly a first draft which was released by mistake. This clearly talented author really really really needs to work with a good editor to think through his world building, his writing and his characters. He is a very fluent tale teller, but my goodness, everything else needed work. This has got to be one of the “toldest” books I have ever read - as to a 10 year old maybe? Reading it is to experience the author outlining the book and the story. Most disappointing is that the political/history/world building elements essential to such a story are absent...in a series about a collapsing interstellar empire.
So if you need something superficial and undemanding to listen to while in hospital, and you can get it for free, maybe give it a go.
As I am in fact well aware of the author and the publisher, I just hope that down the track Scalzi returns to these books and fleshes them out properly. This really feels like a missed opportunity.
Another book (trilogy) that came highly recommended. I really enjoyed the whole trilogy - was quite a good story with some interesting twists.
The Flow is ending. The Flow is what ties the worlds of the Interdependency together and, without it, each world is going to be cut off from all the others. Because of the way the Interdependency was created, with merchant families each given a monopoly on one or two essential products (one family builds all spaceships, one has patents on all crops) this is going to mean that, sooner or later, all worlds are going to fail. There is only one world, End, that is a natural world and might support humanity after the failure; all the others are artificial and once their systems fail, they will die.
Emperox Graydon is not supposed to be Emperox - her half brother was the heir but he died unexpectedly not long before their father died (of natural causes). In way over her head, and one of the very few to know that the Flow will be collapsing in the next several years, she is going to have to pull a miracle off to save more than a tiny percentage of her people. Meanwhile, someone wants her dead.
I'd have given it 5 stars except for some weird plot points that were suddenly dropped and turned out not to be plot points after all. Like: a huge deal is made out of Emperox Graydon declaring she was having "visions" which forced the Church into supporting her. We never do find out what those visions supposedly were or how they helped (or didn't) her mission to save the worlds. Big build up; no substance. Also, the ending was a little ... rushed? Lets say loose ends abounded. Scalzi says he was very late turning in the manuscript and I think it shows.
Anyway, as a space opera, it was a fun one. (Beware there's a LOT of bad language and casual sex, though the sex isn't explicit.)
The Flow is ending. The Flow is what ties the worlds of the Interdependency together and, without it, each world is going to be cut off from all the others. Because of the way the Interdependency was created, with merchant families each given a monopoly on one or two essential products (one family builds all spaceships, one has patents on all crops) this is going to mean that, sooner or later, all worlds are going to fail. There is only one world, End, that is a natural world and might support humanity after the failure; all the others are artificial and once their systems fail, they will die.
Emperox Graydon is not supposed to be Emperox - her half brother was the heir but he died unexpectedly not long before their father died (of natural causes). In way over her head, and one of the very few to know that the Flow will be collapsing in the next several years, she is going to have to pull a miracle off to save more than a tiny percentage of her people. Meanwhile, someone wants her dead.
I'd have given it 5 stars except for some weird plot points that were suddenly dropped and turned out not to be plot points after all. Like: a huge deal is made out of Emperox Graydon declaring she was having "visions" which forced the Church into supporting her. We never do find out what those visions supposedly were or how they helped (or didn't) her mission to save the worlds. Big build up; no substance. Also, the ending was a little ... rushed? Lets say loose ends abounded. Scalzi says he was very late turning in the manuscript and I think it shows.
Anyway, as a space opera, it was a fun one. (Beware there's a LOT of bad language and casual sex, though the sex isn't explicit.)
adventurous
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
I was very disappointed in the ending. In particular, I didn't feel like there was enough payoff from all of the character arcs. However, this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book as a whole, which was still quite good. As always, I really enjoy Scalzi's style. In the end, I feel the series could have been more fleshed-out, but what is there is excellent.