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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Was a good second story but I enjoyed Lock In more. There was something about learning how Haden's functioned that was just so cool. Still a worthwhile listen though!
This story focused on the aftermath of AK and how it would effect the financial world as they knew it. Again there is a murder to solve and Chris and his/her partner Vann are called in to do so.
Really, there isn't much else to be said. If you enjoyed the first book, read this one too!
This story focused on the aftermath of AK and how it would effect the financial world as they knew it. Again there is a murder to solve and Chris and his/her partner Vann are called in to do so.
Really, there isn't much else to be said. If you enjoyed the first book, read this one too!
adventurous
funny
4.5 stars. Great series, fascinating world-building, but not overly complex that it is lost in description.
Head On continues where Lock In left off, with Chris, a rookie FBI agent, and Chris's partner, Leslie, solving cases. This case involves a new sport called Hilketa that is primarily played by Haden's survivors. An athlete dies in the middle of a game - a first for the league and the sport, and Chris and Leslie are rushing to uncover the truth as witnesses die and evidence is tampered with.
This is a standard detective novel with the added twist that Chris and other Haden's survivors navigate the physical world using Threeps, robot bodies that they can control with their minds so they can speak, drive, work, and be with the rest of the world while their bodies are "locked in" in their beds. These Threeps are also what they use to play Hilketa, a game where one player is chosen at random and the other players attempt to remove that player's head and score points with it. I had a bit of a shock when I started reading this book and learned about Hilketa, but had forgotten about the use of Threeps and thought that players were actually ripping each other's heads off. Hilketa is a brutal and violent game, but the damage is only to the Threeps.
I initially read Lock In because it won an Alex Award, which is given for adult books with teen appeal. Since then I have read Scalzi's other novels, including the Old Man's War series, which I particularly enjoyed. Lock In and Head On are detective stories, and they would make great read-alikes for fans of gritty detective novels and crime procedural shows like Criminal Minds, Law & Order, Bones, etc. Another interesting point is that never once during either of the books is Chris's gender revealed. Scalzi wrote on the Tor blog about this choice, and I think it's really interesting. During the first book I assumed Chris as male, probably because Chris is often referred to by their last name, Shane, which is typically a male name.
Recommended for: older teens and adults
Red Flags: language, violence similar to that in crime procedural shows like Criminal Minds
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.
This is a standard detective novel with the added twist that Chris and other Haden's survivors navigate the physical world using Threeps, robot bodies that they can control with their minds so they can speak, drive, work, and be with the rest of the world while their bodies are "locked in" in their beds. These Threeps are also what they use to play Hilketa, a game where one player is chosen at random and the other players attempt to remove that player's head and score points with it. I had a bit of a shock when I started reading this book and learned about Hilketa, but had forgotten about the use of Threeps and thought that players were actually ripping each other's heads off. Hilketa is a brutal and violent game, but the damage is only to the Threeps.
I initially read Lock In because it won an Alex Award, which is given for adult books with teen appeal. Since then I have read Scalzi's other novels, including the Old Man's War series, which I particularly enjoyed. Lock In and Head On are detective stories, and they would make great read-alikes for fans of gritty detective novels and crime procedural shows like Criminal Minds, Law & Order, Bones, etc. Another interesting point is that never once during either of the books is Chris's gender revealed. Scalzi wrote on the Tor blog about this choice, and I think it's really interesting. During the first book I assumed Chris as male, probably because Chris is often referred to by their last name, Shane, which is typically a male name.
Recommended for: older teens and adults
Red Flags: language, violence similar to that in crime procedural shows like Criminal Minds
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.
Another threep ruined!
I loved this even more than the first one. There's more humor -- I honestly laughed out loud at a few points. Very confident writing. Chris goes through threeps like Emerson Peabody goes through shirts.
I loved this even more than the first one. There's more humor -- I honestly laughed out loud at a few points. Very confident writing. Chris goes through threeps like Emerson Peabody goes through shirts.
3.5 stars
Great story, great setting. I feel like I liked Chris and Van more this time around, because their personalities were a little more sparkly, but that might just be me, and might also be because I listened to both books back to back. But yeah. I enjoyed it.
Don't know if I liked the case more this time, but it was more unpredictable, so that's an improvement. It felt a little short, though, like maybe it could have been fleshed out a little more. But it was fast-paced and compelling to listen to.
If more books come out in this series, I'll definitely be interested.
Great story, great setting. I feel like I liked Chris and Van more this time around, because their personalities were a little more sparkly, but that might just be me, and might also be because I listened to both books back to back. But yeah. I enjoyed it.
Don't know if I liked the case more this time, but it was more unpredictable, so that's an improvement. It felt a little short, though, like maybe it could have been fleshed out a little more. But it was fast-paced and compelling to listen to.
If more books come out in this series, I'll definitely be interested.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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
Solid sequel to Lock In! Took longer than it should have to read it, but that's what happens when one goes back to work. Less time to read.
Having mostly enjoyed the first book, I picked up this second one. This one was just ok. It was a bit of a struggle to get to the end, and it felt like that was the author’s issue too. There’s a little more context and interest regarding the characters of the first book, but not a lot, and it lacks further exploration of the interesting integrator plot line. I think you’d be quite lost if you didn’t read the first one before this sequel. It’s still very nineties cop movie dialogue between the agents, so don’t look for depth or particularly good writing. Fizzle from a promising start.
Good fun. Scalzi just gets better and better. Don't worry if you haven't read the first in the series; this one is more or less freestanding. Enjoy.