Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read the Robot series & the Foundation series years ago, but had never gotten around to the Empire series. Now I am kicking myself. It was clever, fun, & just awesome. But then, it's by Asimov--of course it was.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I find myself reading Isaac Asimov less because of a love for his work, and more because he's so important to the science fiction canon. As a teenager I did enjoy the Foundation series – especially the first two books – and in particular I liked Asimov's technique of twisting characters up in threads and plots of intrigue, their intellect being as much a weapon as their physical strength or their neuronal whips. And the Robot novels move into a space where science fiction plays to its strength; the speculation of how technology will impact humanity.
The Stars Like Dust is an early novel by Asimov and it shows. Like the earlier Foundation novels, it takes efforts to demonstrate its cleverness. The motives of characters are often speculated about, the protagonist figures things out with a *click* while the reader has to wait for the final wrap-up for all to be revealed, just like a whodunnit.
This particular book doesn't deliver Asimov's intrigue well, or maybe I am now looking for more from a novel. Biron, the protagonist, isn't particularly likeable, his relationship isn't believable, and the whole plot feels like a string-along from place to place without really making much sense except as a forced series of events.
It must be said that by the end I was just curious enough about how the series might progress as to consider buying the second novel in the Galactic Empire series. But I probably won't be consuming it as avidly as I might once have.
The Stars Like Dust is an early novel by Asimov and it shows. Like the earlier Foundation novels, it takes efforts to demonstrate its cleverness. The motives of characters are often speculated about, the protagonist figures things out with a *click* while the reader has to wait for the final wrap-up for all to be revealed, just like a whodunnit.
This particular book doesn't deliver Asimov's intrigue well, or maybe I am now looking for more from a novel. Biron, the protagonist, isn't particularly likeable, his relationship isn't believable, and the whole plot feels like a string-along from place to place without really making much sense except as a forced series of events.
It must be said that by the end I was just curious enough about how the series might progress as to consider buying the second novel in the Galactic Empire series. But I probably won't be consuming it as avidly as I might once have.
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No