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master_jedi_reader's review
3.0
Actual rating a solid 3.5. Torn between liked it and really liked it.
wildflowerz76's review
2.0
I received a digital ARC of this title from Edelweiss for an honest review.
Exploratory ships are being sent to find planets that can sustain life and provide resources back home. Because of the distance, the ship AI makes the journey while the people are yet to be born. When they reach the planet, the colonists are then grown in vats, while their mind is hooked into a VR situation where they're taught everything they need to know about their predetermined jobs. At age 30 they'll be woken up to colonize the planet. Unless the whole lot is aborted when the AI decides that the planet can't sustain life or provide enough resources. So, when less than 60 fifteen year olds are woken up prematurely, they struggle to comply with the AIs demands with only half of their education complete.
I read Wool and seem to remember liking it until I got bored in the end. This one bored me from the start. The idea is fine, but it feels very stale and seems to have been done to death. None of the characters are fleshed out well enough to have much of a distinctive personality. In the end, I just didn't care what was happening here.
Exploratory ships are being sent to find planets that can sustain life and provide resources back home. Because of the distance, the ship AI makes the journey while the people are yet to be born. When they reach the planet, the colonists are then grown in vats, while their mind is hooked into a VR situation where they're taught everything they need to know about their predetermined jobs. At age 30 they'll be woken up to colonize the planet. Unless the whole lot is aborted when the AI decides that the planet can't sustain life or provide enough resources. So, when less than 60 fifteen year olds are woken up prematurely, they struggle to comply with the AIs demands with only half of their education complete.
I read Wool and seem to remember liking it until I got bored in the end. This one bored me from the start. The idea is fine, but it feels very stale and seems to have been done to death. None of the characters are fleshed out well enough to have much of a distinctive personality. In the end, I just didn't care what was happening here.
mypapercrane's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy of this book. I love Hugh Howey as an author and the way he is able to draw you into his worlds.
In this book spaceships are sent out to colonize other planets. The novel opens with a crash landing of one such ship and the kids aboard are awakened 15 years before they are supposed to. I had a hard time really feeling invested in any of the characters, unlike I did in his Wool book series. It was still an intriguing story that carried me along, and a quick read. I will always check out whatever new books he writes.
In this book spaceships are sent out to colonize other planets. The novel opens with a crash landing of one such ship and the kids aboard are awakened 15 years before they are supposed to. I had a hard time really feeling invested in any of the characters, unlike I did in his Wool book series. It was still an intriguing story that carried me along, and a quick read. I will always check out whatever new books he writes.
krakentamer's review against another edition
3.0
I almost gave up on this book. The book started looking like such a derivation of Lord Of The Flies that I nearly quit. I was at the 1/3 point and ready to write it off, and so disappointed because I loved Wool and really liked Sand. Then I realized that if I liked this author so much did I really believe that he'd write such a lame book? Or was it more likely that he'd turn the story into something much more interesting?
So I stuck with it and indeed, the story DID turn into more interesting territory. Granted- not earth-shattering or ground-breaking, but a good story that was not any longer than it needed to be.
In the end, this is an easily-skipped item in Howey's catalog. Please don't judge his much better works on this one.
So I stuck with it and indeed, the story DID turn into more interesting territory. Granted- not earth-shattering or ground-breaking, but a good story that was not any longer than it needed to be.
In the end, this is an easily-skipped item in Howey's catalog. Please don't judge his much better works on this one.
teanahk's review
4.0
Some really interesting world building, meh characters. Hard to put down, but the last few chapters seem a bit rushed and far fetched, leading to a disappointing ending. Still a reasonably enjoyable read despite its flaws.
raquelles_reads's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
ravenlynne's review
3.0
Eh...It was a decent premise. Seemed a bit trite. And the language used seemed designed to shock. Vat grown people on a distant, alien world who are educated by AI aren't going to talk like thugs.
keelys's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
brockboland's review against another edition
4.0
Not as good as his Silo series, but I like his style in general.