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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Reached Chapter 12, but story has failed to capture my interest. Perhaps will pick it up and try again with a text edition, or sample another of the author's works.
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I love the concepts explored in the novel, but it was a tedious read.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A Fire upon The Deep is a great first-contact-type narrative. The aliens are weird yet relatable. Being firmly grounded makes for a more believably plausible story than the traditional space operas with which I am familiar.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-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:
No
Liked it! Fast paced space opera and really weird aliens (packs of... Dogs?) + two human children + the Blight and a man who has been God shattered, strong female characters, plot did get "meta" at times where I had difficulties following space travel/technology evils but not in a bad way exactly. I did srsly speed read at the end just to get er done.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I didn't love this (kind of long to not love) but I think it was mostly that the audio narrator was kind of annoying. Some interesting stuff in here though.
The story itself is pretty amazing, and it's definitely an interesting premises. I am intrigued by the idea of a single identity that calls itself "me" and "I" while existing among multiple bodies, and how that sort of intelligence would interact with a galaxy full of Singletons (to use a term from the novel). But frankly, the narrator (Peter Larkin) is just not up to snuff - his attempt at different voices actively made my head ache and I more than once wished I could switch to an ebook or hard copy, and ultimately it ruined most of the enjoymenti may have otherwise gotten out of the story.
I also was less than thrilled with the Condescending Male Hero. I see that trait often in older science fiction novels and while it's no more appealing, I can accept that it was a very different time back then. This novel, however, was written in 1991 and does not get the same pass.
I also was less than thrilled with the Condescending Male Hero. I see that trait often in older science fiction novels and while it's no more appealing, I can accept that it was a very different time back then. This novel, however, was written in 1991 and does not get the same pass.